It remains unlikely that Adam Dunn is traded to another team, but there remains a slight chance, even though the trade deadline has passed. Basically, he can still be moved until August 31, but he must clear waivers.
That process may have already begun. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Dunn has been placed on waivers.
Heard this: Adam Dunn hit the waiver wire today, giving teams 48 hours to place claims on the slugger -- and the wide expectation is that multiple NL teams will put in a claim on him -- Rockies? Giants? -- and that there is no chance that AL teams like the Rays or White Sox or Yankees ever get a shot at Dunn, who is working on his seventh straight year of 38 or more homers.
This is somewhat complicated, so let me try my best to break it down. (There's some good information on waivers here).
After the trade deadline, many players are technically placed on waivers. It's not huge news if the Nationals did indeed place Dunn on waivers, it's just worth pointing out. As I understand it, most of the league is placed on waivers, so this isn't necessarily a sign the Nationals want to trade Dunn.
Once they are on waivers, the teams in their league each have a chance to "claim" the player. Priority is done from worst record to best record, so the Pirates have the first chance to claim Dunn, then the Diamondbacks and going all the way up to the Padres. AL teams only get a crack if every NL team passes on "claiming" Dunn, which is why Olney says there's "no chance" they'll get their shot at him.
Once a team "claims" Dunn, one of three things can happen.
- The Nationals can pull Dunn back and keep him from the claiming team, in which case we continue on down the line.
- The Nationals can elect to just give Dunn to the claiming team.
- The Nationals and the claiming team can work out a trade to get Dunn to the claiming team.
What this means about Dunn is that if he's going to be moved -- and that seems unlikely -- it'll happen in the next 72 hours.
Mark Zuckerman agrees, writing that there's little chance Dunn goes to another team, even if he was indeed placed on waivers.