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When Vulpi was in AAA during rehab, he was moved down to Double-A on rehab assignment. This often confused observers, but the reasoning is straightforward: the level of competition does not determine the rehab location; proximity to the player’s home and team is the key factor. Essentially, even if Vulpi had hit .700 with 42 home runs over 15 rehab at-bats, he still would have been sent to Double-A if that's where the team chose him to rehab.
The 20-Day Rehab Rule and Roster Decisions
The key constraint in these situations is the 20-day rehab cap. Under Major League Baseball rules, players can spend a maximum of 20 days rehabbing on the injured list. After this period, teams face three options:
Reinstate the player to the roster.
Designate the player for release.