what is dfa in baseball

DFA in baseball stands for "Designated for Assignment." It refers to a procedural move where a player is immediately removed from a team's 40-man roster. Once designated, the team has seven days to decide the player's fate: they can trade the player, place him on waivers, release him, or outright him to the minor leagues if he clears waivers. Players with more than certain years of major league service or previous outright assignments have the right to refuse a minor league assignment and opt for free agency instead. This process is a way for teams to manage their roster spots by temporarily or permanently removing a player from the 40-man roster while deciding what to do with him next.