MLB injured list rules: 7-, 10-, 15- and 60-day IL
According to MLB's public glossary, MLB has four injured lists: a 7-day list for concussions, a 10-day list for position players, a 15-day list for pitchers and two-way players, and a 60-day list for longer injuries. The number is the minimum stay in days, not the expected one.
This guide summarizes the injured list rules as MLB describes them in its public glossary (with MiLB.com's glossary for rehab assignments), as they stood in the 2026 season. It is not a reading of the official rulebook. The collective bargaining agreement between the clubs and the players' union expires on December 1, 2026, and a new agreement could change roster rules. We will update this guide if it does.
The four lists at a glance
As summarized in MLB's public glossary:
| List | Who | Minimum stay | On the 40-man roster? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-day IL | Players with concussion symptoms | 7 days | Yes |
| 10-day IL | Position players | 10 days | Yes |
| 15-day IL | Pitchers and two-way players | 15 days | Yes |
| 60-day IL | Any player | 60 days | No, the player comes off the 40-man roster |
MLB's glossary describes the injured lists as a way to remove injured players from the 26-man active roster (28 from September 1), which is what lets the club bring in a replacement.
The 10-day and 15-day lists
According to MLB's glossary, these are the standard lists for most injuries. Position players go on the 10-day IL. Pitchers and two-way players go on the 15-day IL, which the glossary says MLB brought back for them in 2022, after the 10-day list had replaced the 15-day list as the shortest option from 2017. The glossary also notes that a player must stay out for at least the minimum but can stay on the list considerably longer.
The 7-day concussion list
MLB's glossary says players with concussion symptoms go to the 7-day IL first. According to the glossary, the list was created in 2011 to keep players with concussion symptoms from being rushed back, while letting a player who passes concussion tests return after seven days rather than a longer minimum.
The 60-day list
According to MLB's glossary, the 60-day IL is the longest list, open to all players, with a minimum stay of 60 days. The key difference is that a player on it is temporarily removed from the club's 40-man roster, which frees a spot for someone else. The glossary describes it as often a last resort: if a club does not need the 40-man spot, it can keep the player on the 10-day list for longer than 60 days instead (or, by the same logic, a pitcher on the 15-day list; that last point is our reading, not the glossary's wording).
Backdating
MLB's glossary explains that a 10-day or 15-day placement can be backdated to the day after the player's last game, but by no more than three days. Example: a position player last plays on May 2 and goes on the 10-day IL on May 8. The stint can be backdated only to May 5, so the earliest he can return is May 15. A pitcher in the same situation on the 15-day IL could return on May 20.
Rehab assignments
According to MiLB.com's undated transaction glossary ("Transaction Terminology"), a major league player can be assigned to a minor league affiliate for injury rehabilitation for up to 20 days for non-pitchers and up to 30 days for pitchers, and still receives his major league salary. A rehab stint is a strong sign that a return is close, but not a guarantee.
What it means for the lineup
- A player on any injured list cannot play, so his start probability is zero until he is activated.
- The earliest possible return date is known from the placement date and the list. The actual return date is not, so we treat a player who is eligible to return as uncertain rather than as a likely starter.
- When a player comes back, someone usually has to leave the active roster, which can change the lineup in other places too.
Our planned injuries page will show each player's list and earliest return date, using our own status labels. See also how managers set batting orders.
Sources: MLB's public glossary entries for the 7-day, 10-day, 15-day and 60-day injured lists and the 26-man roster, read October 28, 2026; MiLB.com, "Transaction Terminology" (rehab assignments), read October 28, 2026. We have not checked these points against the official rulebook or the collective bargaining agreement. LineupMeter is not affiliated with MLB; see our disclaimer.