The Disabled List (DL) has been a staple of Major League Baseball (MLB) for nearly 100 years, but recently the league has been phasing out the use of the DL and replacing it with more specific injury designations. In this article, we will explore when exactly MLB stopped using the Disabled List and why the league is now using more specific injury designations instead.
History of the Disabled List
The Disabled List was first introduced in 1915 as a way to give teams more flexibility when it came to roster moves. The rule allowed teams to place players on the list if they were injured or ill and still keep them on the team’s payroll. The rule was originally intended as a way to help teams deal with injuries, but it soon became a way for teams to manipulate the roster and create roster spots for players that were not on the active roster.
The Disabled List had remained largely unchanged until the 1980s, when MLB began to experiment with new rules and regulations. In the mid-1980s, MLB began to look for ways to limit the abuse of the Disabled List and introduced a new rule that placed a limit on how long a player could remain on the list. This rule was designed to ensure that teams could not use the Disabled List as a way to manipulate the roster and ensure that players were only placed on the list if they were truly unable to play due to injury or illness.
MLB Eliminates the Disabled List
In 2017, MLB officially eliminated the Disabled List and replaced it with a new system of specific injury designations. This new system is designed to provide teams with more specific information about a player’s injury and give them more flexibility when it comes to roster management.
Under the new system, teams can place players on the 10-day injured list or the 60-day injured list, depending on the severity of the injury. Players on the 10-day injured list must miss at least 10 days of action, while players on the 60-day injured list must miss at least 60 days. This system ensures that players are only placed on the injured list if they are truly unable to play due to injury or illness.
Benefits of the New Injury Designations
The new injury designations have a number of benefits for both teams and players. For teams, the new system gives them more flexibility when it comes to roster management, as they can place players on either the 10-day or 60-day injured list depending on the severity of the injury. This allows teams to keep players on the roster while they recover, without having to use up a roster spot for a player who may not be ready to play anytime soon.
For players, the new system provides more accurate information about their injury and allows them to receive proper medical attention. The 10-day and 60-day designations make it easier for players to understand the severity of their injury and the amount of time they will need to recover before they can return to the field.
Conclusion
The Disabled List has been a staple of MLB for nearly 100 years, but the league recently decided to phase out the use of the DL and replace it with more specific injury designations. The new system provides teams with more flexibility when it comes to roster management and gives players more accurate information about their injury. With the new system in place, teams can now make informed decisions about when a player should be placed on the injured list and when they should return to the field.