# Lost a $3 player to TJ Surgery before draft - Cut or IL?
**URL:** https://community.ottoneu.com/t/lost-a-3-player-to-tj-surgery-before-draft-cut-or-il/14243
**Category:** In-Game Advice
**Created:** [March 15, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.ottoneu.com/t/lost-a-3-player-to-tj-surgery-before-draft-cut-or-il/14243 "2024-03-15T14:44:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@misterawesome](https://community.ottoneu.com/u/misterawesome)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.ottoneu.com/t/lost-a-3-player-to-tj-surgery-before-draft-cut-or-il/14243/1 "2024-03-15T14:44:22Z")
I just lost a RP to Tommy John surgery. I’m wondering if it makes the most sense to keep him on the 60-day IL instead of simply cutting him outright since he won’t be picked up by anyone. Should I rack up a few long-term IL stints, I could always cut him later down the road.
Is this sound thinking? Or should I cut after the draft so I’m maximizing my remaining budget for Opening Day?
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### Author:  [@doorbot](https://community.ottoneu.com/u/doorbot)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.ottoneu.com/t/lost-a-3-player-to-tj-surgery-before-draft-cut-or-il/14243/2 "2024-03-15T14:57:41Z")
Unless your commissioner has given you penalty-free cuts for some reason (maybe you recently claimed this team?), you won’t be able to cut them until after the auction, regardless. Afterwards, I would make the cut, worst case, by midsummer you have a $1 60-day IL player that you just hang onto as a reminder of the frailty of pitchers.
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### Author:  [@nivshah](https://community.ottoneu.com/u/nivshah)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2024, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.ottoneu.com/t/lost-a-3-player-to-tj-surgery-before-draft-cut-or-il/14243/3 "2024-03-15T15:20:47Z")
This is an easy cut. For a player to go on the 60IL and stop taking a roster spot in Ottoneu, they have to go on the 60IL in real life. MLB teams only do this if they need the 40-man roster spot, i.e. if they want to sign someone to the 40-man that wasn’t previously on the 40-man. This means either adding a minor leaguer to the 40-man or signing a FA. This is all to say its hard to know when the team will need the 40-man spot and so it is hard to know when the player in question will go to the 60IL.
No reason to stash a $3 reliever that is taking up both cap space and a roster spot, imo.