When a Major League Baseball team designates a player for assignment-commonly known as a DFA-it kicks off a complicated, often nerve-wracking process that temporarily removes the player from the team’s 40-man roster. What happens next can vary, but one thing is certain: the clock starts ticking. Or at least, it usually does.
Under normal circumstances, the team has up to seven days to figure out the player’s next move. That window includes up to five days to explore a trade, with the final 48 hours reserved for the waiver process. During this stretch, the player is in what’s colloquially known as “DFA limbo”-a holding pattern where he’s in roster purgatory, waiting to learn if he’s headed to a new team, outrighted to the minors, or released entirely.
But around the holidays? That clock doesn’t always tick the same way.
This time of year, the DFA process tends to slow down-sometimes dramatically. We’ve seen cases in recent offseasons where players lingered in DFA limbo well beyond the standard seven-day window.
One recent example: catcher Sam Huff was designated for assignment by the Rangers on December 23, 2024. He wasn’t claimed until January 8, 2025, when the Giants picked him up-16 days later.
There’s never been an official league memo or formal announcement explaining this holiday slowdown, but the pattern is clear. Whether it’s a soft freeze on transactions or simply a pause in front office activity as teams take time off, the result is the same: players can find themselves waiting a lot longer than usual to learn their fate.
And we’re seeing it again this year.
A couple of players designated for assignment back on December 17 still haven’t had their situations publicly resolved. That could mean the transactions are done but haven’t been announced-after all, team communications staff tend to take some holiday time, too. Or it could be that their DFA clocks are effectively paused, and they’ll remain in limbo into the new year.
Here’s a look at the players who’ve been designated for assignment in the past week and are still waiting for clarity:
December 17
(Players designated on this date have not yet had their moves publicly resolved.)
December 19
(Still awaiting resolution.)
December 20
- Tigers: Outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy was designated for assignment following Detroit’s re-signing of right-hander Kyle Finnegan. Malloy, a promising young bat with some upside, now finds himself in roster limbo as the Tigers reshuffle their depth chart.
- Guardians: Left-hander Justin Bruihl was DFA’d to make room for the signing of right-hander Shawn Armstrong. Bruihl, a bullpen arm with major league experience, now awaits word on whether he’ll be claimed, traded, or outrighted.
December 22
- Athletics: In a notable move, Oakland designated lefty Ken Waldichuk for assignment as part of the deal that brought in infielder Jeff McNeil from the Mets. Waldichuk, once a key piece in the A’s rebuild, now faces an uncertain future as the club pivots in a new direction.
December 23
- White Sox: Chicago DFA’d left-hander Ryan Rolison after signing fellow southpaw Sean Newcomb. Rolison, a former first-round pick, has battled injuries and inconsistency, and now finds himself searching for a new opportunity.
With front offices operating at a slower pace during the holidays, it’s not unusual for these transactions to drag into January. Still, for the players involved, it’s a tough time to be in limbo-waiting for a phone call that could determine where they’ll report for spring training, or whether they’ll even have a spot on a 40-man roster come February.
One thing’s for sure: once the calendar flips to January and the league’s operations ramp back up, we’ll start getting answers. Until then, the DFA freeze remains one of baseball’s quieter but more intriguing offseason quirks.