How do you send a veteran to a minor team without "optioning" him?

Question

Some baseball players will spend time between the minor and major leagues before getting firmly established in the major leagues. In the process of "shuttling" back and forth, the player can be sent back to the minor leagues by "optioning" him to the minor league team. There is a limited number of "options." (If a player is out options, other teams can claim a player that has been sent to the minors before he gets there.)

But suppose you have a veteran who was injured, and then cured, and needs to play a few "rehab" games in the minors before coming to the majors. How can this veteran be sent to a minor league team without the "optioning" mechanism?

Answer 1

Veterans playing minor league games is a standard part of the disabled list procedure.

While a player is on the disabled list, he is eligible to play minor league games for up to 20 days (30 days for pitchers) on a rehabilitation assignment, after which he either needs to be reinstated or a waiver process must be completed in order for him to continue playing his rehab stint.

Players may be assigned to a minor-league club for injury rehabilitation for a maximum of 20 days (30 days for pitchers). (Scout.com)

Other options for getting veterans down to the minors are composed of the veteran being passed through waivers (a chance for any other team to claim him), and then he can be out righted off of the 40 man roster and given a minor league assignment (which veterans can refuse if they've already been out righted once).