Injured list

[1] The minimum period was restored to 15 days for pitchers for the 2020 season,[2] though the full implementation of the rule was pushed back to May 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Players placed on the 60-day injured list on or after August 1 are ineligible to return to the active roster for the rest of the season, including the postseason.

If the injury turns out to be minor, then the player may resume playing immediately without having to serve the minimum term on the injured list.

This also allows a valuable, slightly injured player to continue to contribute in a limited role, such as pinch hitting.

[4] This allows a club to defer the decision to place a player on the injured list until more information can be learned about the extent and impact of the injury.

Players recovering from an injury may appear in a limited number of minor-league games while still on the injured list in order to prepare for reactivation.

This allows a team to replace a player who is an expectant father for 1–3 days on the roster to be available for the birth of his child.

A free roster spot on an MLB club can be strategically valuable, leading to occasional creative use of injured lists by MLB teams and their minor league affiliates (similar to teams strategically appealing or dropping an appeal of a disciplinary suspension, in order align the timing of the sentence to optimize player contribution).

[10] Such players cannot compete in games, but can remain with the team and can optionally act as a bullpen catcher, batting practice pitcher, or coach.

[11] The name was changed after MLB was requested to do so by disability advocates, and also allows the term to be consistent with other professional sports that use an "injured reserve list".