NOTE: In custom leagues, the League Manager CANNOT change the listed position of any player in the game.
CHANGE FOR 2021: Since 2020 was a shortened season we updated the threshold required for players to retain position eligibility and what they need to obtain position eligibility in the 2021 season. Here is a breakdown for Starting Pitchers, Relief Pitcher, and Batters:
Positional Eligibility for Batters
Additional positional eligibility for Batters occurs when one of the following conditions is met:
- Games played at a position during last season: 10
- Games played at a position during the current season: 10 (The eligibility will take place on the 11th day, even if no game is played that day)
Positional Eligibility for Pitchers
Additional positional eligibility for Pitchers occurs when one of the following conditions is met:
- Pitching appearances last season: 3 at Starting - 5 at Relief
- Pitching appearances during the current season: 3 at Starting - 5 at Relief
Note: From time to time, ESPN may make the decision to assign SP or RP eligibility to a pitcher prior to meeting the conditions stated above but whose value is dramatically affected by an anticipated role change. Unlike with hitters, who still accrue the same statistics no matter what their position, the nature of starting pitching versus relief pitching increases the impact of a role change. However, ESPN will not remove eligibility from a player who has achieved one of the above-stated milestones. Please also note that SP and RP are custom positions only; the ESPN standard game uses the generic "P" position