DFA problems?

[pierceyj]

I started my first save, and my assistant gm is just DFA'ing every minor leaguer it seems like, has anyone experienced this or have a solution? I don't want to control all of the minor leaguers, just my shortlisted ones.

[Matt Arnold]

One of the changes in minor league handling this year is when guys are signed, they may not be placed on a roster immediately. So they will often be placed in the DFA list as a holding spot.

We'll look into potentially ways to clean that up to not be as confusing.

[pierceyj]

Thing is, I control the minor league signings, the assistant gm just controls the promotions and demotions, so these players being dfa'ed are in my system already on a team.

[iddy]

I have the same issue. For my team (2025 Yankees) its always pitchers. They were definitely already in my org as some have 2025 stats. Its like the AI is trying to manage minor league rosters to a max size.

I move them all to AAA - ask AI to set up complete minor league systems - all is good. Next day a bunch of pitchers are in DFA again.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by pierceyj

Thing is, I control the minor league signings, the assistant gm just controls the promotions and demotions, so these players being dfa'ed are in my system already on a team.

These are generally int complex players being promoted.

With the new mechanic, they go on DFA for a few days until the AI can assign them to teams.

[Javaslinger]

I would consider this the most commonly talked about bug so far on the new 2026 playthroughs. No one understands what's going on. And it's can literally be dozens of DFAs over the course of a few sims.

If it's a new 'mechanic' it needs and overhaul soon.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by Javaslinger

I would consider this the most commonly talked about bug so far on the new 2026 playthroughs. No one understands what's going on. And it's can literally be dozens of DFAs over the course of a few sims.

If it's a new 'mechanic' it needs and overhaul soon.

We've explained this in several places already, but happy to do so again.

Rather than the AI having to reset minor league rosters for every new signing or Int Complex promotion, now they go to the DFA to hold the players and then the AI will assign them in batches after a bit.

This reduces roster churn and sim slowdowns from the AI constantly having to rearrange things for single players.

[Lukas Berger]

As Matt says, we may or may not look to change this, but it's just different from what folks are used to right now, so I'm sure will take a little adjustment time.

[Lukas Berger]

In the long run, I guess it will probably make more sense to add a new list into the game for this, rather than putting the DFA list to multiple purposes. But we'll see.

[hjrrockies]

I think the player base will just need to readjust to what DFA really means, rather than thinking of it as shorthand for "MLB players I just waived".


As long as the automation of minor-league rosters is "airtight" and doesn't cause unexpected hangups, or release players unexpectedly, I like the change!

[highandoutside]

I think a "Developer Notes" thread pinned to the top of this forum in which you guys address issues like this once and for all would be helpful. It would minimize you having to put out fires each time a repeated issue/question pops up.

You could cut and paste a recurring question and respond to it in a thread in which only developers can post. I think that would be a great resource.

A couple of issues you can post about are this DFA issue, the Errors rate increasing on import of saved games

[Javaslinger]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

In the long run, I guess it will probably make more sense to add a new list into the game for this, rather than putting the DFA list to multiple purposes. But we'll see.

You're asking every player of OOTP to re-learn the meaning of DFA (whether they mislearned it to begin with or not). And only 2% are reading these forums. I think making a new list - quickly in the short term, is a good solution. The "they'll figure it out eventually" approach is really frustrating to players...

[BusterKing]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

In the long run, I guess it will probably make more sense to add a new list into the game for this, rather than putting the DFA list to multiple purposes. But we'll see.

A list named "In Transition" would make sense

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by Javaslinger

You're asking every player of OOTP to re-learn the meaning of DFA (whether they mislearned it to begin with or not). And only 2% are reading these forums. I think making a new list - quickly in the short term, is a good solution. The "they'll figure it out eventually" approach is really frustrating to players...

Not every player. DFA has always included plenty of MiLB players.

Originally Posted by BusterKing

A list named "In Transition" would make sense

That is precisely what DFA is.

[Bobfather]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

We've explained this in several places already, but happy to do so again.

Rather than the AI having to reset minor league rosters for every new signing or Int Complex promotion, now they go to the DFA to hold the players and then the AI will assign them in batches after a bit.

This reduces roster churn and sim slowdowns from the AI constantly having to rearrange things for single players.

One thing I always wanted to do, when sending players from the Major League roster to minors/ Is to have the AI put the player on the best team for him. So looks like the AI can do this for some players now. Could this also be incorporated? Right now I use last Mil team played for or guess, then reset minors rosters.

[Javaslinger]

I don't know, I'm pretty sure I've seen several of the same players showing up in my DFA list repeatedly.

[iddy]

Originally Posted by iddy

I have the same issue. For my team (2025 Yankees) its always pitchers. They were definitely already in my org as some have 2025 stats. Its like the AI is trying to manage minor league rosters to a max size.

I move them all to AAA - ask AI to set up complete minor league systems - all is good. Next day a bunch of pitchers are in DFA again.

Update - I released or traded about a dozen pitchers and it seems to have resolved the issue. It seems like it has to do with the number of pitcher in my org and that the AI felt I had 'too many'. Often, but not always, they would get placed in the DFA list right after an appearance - seems like if the manager feels they have too many pitchers they dump the tired one they cant use for a few days.

To be clear - these pitchers just sit in DFA for 7 days until I have to manually clear them. It is not just the AI reshuffling things and having everything sort itself out in a few days.