at this point, a club puts a player on irrevocable outright waivers. if no other team claims him (and thus, the remainder of his contract), the club can outright said player to the minor leagues. however, if said player has enough service time, he can refuse the assignment and ask for his release. the club is on the hook for the remainder of his contract, until he signs elsewhere. or, if the player has been outrighted before, but doesn't have five years' service time, he can refuse the assignment and become a free agent--but that voids his contract. the player can accept the minor league assignment, but then said player cannot be traded until after the world series--and the minor league season at all levels ends in early september. said player could have his contract selected again by the major league club, but he'd be taking up a 40-man and an active roster spot. so, yes, the brewers could put mike moustakas on irrevocable outright waivers, but if he went unclaimed, he would reserve the right to refuse the assignment and the brewers lose him to free agency, while still paying him for the remainder of 2019 and his buyout for the mutual option. Moose and Grandal would both be claimed if we went this route in late August, and we wouldn't have to pay the rest of this salary? Let's say that Oakland claims Grandal, but Grandal doesn't want to go there. He has enough service time to reject the move AND the Brewers would have to let him go AND also pay his contract ( until another team signs him as a FA for a month).