what does it mean to dfa a baseball player

To DFA a baseball player means to designate the player for assignment. This is a roster move where the player is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster. After being DFA'd, the team has seven days to decide the player's future—either trading the player, placing him on waivers, releasing him, or sending him outright to the minor leagues if he clears waivers. The player cannot play for the major league team during this time. Being DFA'd essentially means the player is temporarily or permanently removed from the team's major league roster, which could lead to several possible outcomes including a trade, minor league assignment, release, or free agency depending on the player's service time and contract status.