The MLB Rules Have Change a Little for Athletics Rule 5 infielder Vimael Machin

The Oakland Athletics picked up infielder Vimael Machine in the Rule 5 draft in December. He had a good showing in spring training I and will be part of the A's summer camp. But the rules as to how Rule 5 players are handle have changed, to the point where his Rule 5 status could carry over into next season.

There were 11 players selected in the Rule 5 draft in December – players not on the 40-man roster in December that were plucked by other teams – and nine of those are on big league rosters right now.

One of the nine is Vimael Machin, a 26-year-old infielder who is with the Oakland A’s now after having been at Triple-A with the Chicago Cubs a year ago. The A’s like him as a jack-of-all-trades and a left-handed bat, but it was going to be a bit of a crunch to get him on a 26-man roster back in March.

He will be with the club when the team takes part in its first workout Saturday, and the left-handed hitter is very likely to make the 30-man roster when the season starts up the weekend of July 23. Manager Bob Melvin said that time will provide Machin with another chance to prove he belongs.

“He gives us a guy who can play third, who can play second, he can play in the outfield,” Melvin said recently. “If somebody struggles and there’s an opening and he’s playing well, then he could fit in somewhere else, too.

“I’m going in with the same mindset that we had at the end of spring training. We get to keep a couple of the more difficult decisions, play some games and see what happens.”

As is the case with almost everything else in Major League Baseball, the Rule 5 fine print have changed. Rule 5 with an asterisk, if you would.

In a 162-game season, these nine would have to spent at least 90 days on the active roster, and they couldn’t be optioned to the minor leagues. Clearly 90 days was a non-starter in a 60-game, 66-day season. Those 90 days have been trimmed to 50.

But there are changes. Players who spend 50 or more days on the active roster will be taken off Rule 5 status for 2021 and will be a regular member of the 40-man roster, meaning they could then be optioned to the minor leagues – assuming they have options available.

For players who, because of injury, don’t make it to 50 days active, things are different. Failing to make it to 50 games on the active roster, a player would have his Rule 5 eligibility carry over to 2021, until he has 50 total days active. After reaching 50, that player would then become a regular member of the 40-man roster.

Before getting to 50, the player can’t be optioned to the minors without being offered back to his original team. If the original team passes, another team can opt to claim the player on waivers and keep him on the big-league roster until the 50 days are fulfilled.

Other Rule 5 players currently on 60-man player pool roster: Rony Garcia, RHP (Tigers, from Yankees); Sterling Sharp, RHP (Marlins from Nationals); Stephen Woods Jr., RHP (Royals from Rays); Yohan Ramirez, RHP (Mariners from Astros); Mark Payton, OF, (Reds form A’s); Dany Jimenez, RHP (Giants from Blue Jays); Trevor Megill, RHP (Cubs from Padres); Jonathan Arauz, SS (Red Sox from Astros).

Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3

Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Inside the Athletics on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.