Minor league options can sometimes make a huge difference when MLB teams build their roster. While on-field production is always going to be king, roster flexibility, or lack thereof, can also be just as important when thinking about roster building.
The biggest way a player can have roster flexibility is through their minor league options, which allows for a player to be sent to the minors without first being subjected to waivers. If a player is out of option years they need to be sent through waivers if they’re removed from the roster.
Sometimes a player’s lack of options can lead to a team giving them more of a leash since any decision to remove them from a roster will be final (it’s why the Guardians held onto Jake Bauers for 43 uninspiring games at the start of 2021, as an example).