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·17 de diciembre de 2025

MLS Western Conf. Roster Cuts

Imagen del artículo:MLS Western Conf. Roster Cuts

November is the traditional culling time for the MLS. After growing fat on the harvests of late summer and autumn, the clubs study their rosters and look for ways to trim the fat, expel the poison, etc.

This year, all thirty teams went through this process. Some performed the task with more vigor and ruthlessness; others made minimal changes. My colleague Josef did the breakdown for the East; and I drew the straw to do the analysis on the West. As the old blues analogy goes, let’s get down to the killing floor!

Austin FC

October roster size: 26
Total players released: 4 (15% of roster)
Released player value: $1,416,539 (9% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: After five years, Austin said farewell to defender Julio Cascante. Part of the OG expansion team in 2020, the Costa Rican made 125 appearances for the Green & Black, logging 9g/5a. Reserve goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland was traded to Sporting Kansas City for $50K GAM.

Colorado Rapids

October roster size: 30
Total players released: 4 (13% of roster)
Released player value: $1,713,744 (12% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: The only big news out of the Rapids camp was them passing on renewing the option for Andreas Maxsø. The Danish center back appeared in 32 games, averaging 90 minutes and 5.1 clearances per game. He was the third highest salaried player on their roster.

FC Dallas

October roster size: 37
Total players released: 10 (27% of roster)
Released player value: $1,762,302 (13% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: We all know how Texans do things big, and FC Dallas is no exception. Aside from having one of the largest rosters, they also made some the largest cuts. The only departure of note is 33 year-old Sebastian Lletget. The veteran midfielder has been with the club since 2022, but only made 21 appearances last season, notching 1g/2a. The other nine cuts were all junior bench players.

Houston Dynamo

October roster size: 36
Total players released: 13 (36% of roster)
Released player value: $3,673,681 (22% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: See above re: Dallas and raise it. Houston couldn’t let their northern neighbor claim the biggest roster cuts, and eliminated 13 players. Five of these were academy players of minimal import. But among the bigger names were: Polish attacking midfielder Sebastian Kowalczyk Brazilian striker Sergio Santos (whose tenure at the club lasted three games) Argentinian defender Franco Escobar (whose late August injury kept him off the pitch).

LAFC

October roster size: 31
Total players released: 6 (19% of roster)
Released player value: $273,577 (1% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: In the six players leaving LAFC, there are very few of consequence, as you can see from the financial impact.

LA Galaxy

October roster size: 29
Total players released: 4 (19% of roster)
Released player value: $1,508,311 (7% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: You’d think after such a terrible season that Galaxy would be wholesale scrapping players. But they’re not. The only significant cull is Uruguayan midfielder Diego Fagúndez, who contributed 6g/2a but also had a $1.3M salary. Returning to parent club Botofogo will be 21 year old striker Matheus Nascimento, who scored one of his 3 goals in the final match of the season. Handcuffed last season with $0 GAM, it will be interesting to see how the club approaches this transfer window.

Minnesota United FC

October roster size: 33
Total players released: 3 (9% of roster)
Released player value: $891,333 (6% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: Very few moves for the Loons. Defensive midfielder Hassani Dotson departed on a free. Defender Kipp Keller was released after spending a few months with New Mexico United in the USL. English midfielder Samuel Shashoua suffered the same fate, but had been loaned to Birmingham Legion.

Portland Timbers

October roster size: 27
Total players released: 7 (26% of roster)
Released player value: $3,500,658 (16% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: The Timbers let a pair of goalkeepers (Maxime Crépeau, Hunter Sulte) and defenders’ (Dario Župarić, Eric Miller) contracts lapse. Three midfielders also had their options declined. Felipe Carballo only played one game before being injured (but his departure frees up over $900K); Cristhian Paredes featured off the bench and only averaged 34 minutes per game; fellow Paraguayan Matías Rojas only touched the pitch 8 times.

Real Salt Lake

October roster size: 40
Total players released: 10 (25% of roster)
Released player value: $1,839,570 (12% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: So many moves at RSL to unpack. The following players’ options were all declined: Forster Ajago (F, had been on load with USL’s Lexington), Matthew Bell (M), Kevon Lambert (D), Johnny Russell (F), Tommy Silva (D), Jude Wellings (M). Contract expirations impacted: William Agada (F), Zack Farnsworth (M), Zac MacMath (GK). The club made a strategic trade with CF Montréal, giving them defender Brayan Vera in exchange for $1.2M GAM over two years. There’s an additional $350K GAM if performance metrics are met, and RSL retains a sell-on percentage. Smart business, that.

San Diego FC

October roster size: 30
Total players released: 2 (7% of roster)
Released player value: $1,941,795 (9% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: Right midfielder Luca de la Torre will return to his parent club Celta Vigo, freeing up the fourth highest salary ($1.6M) on the squad. Their only other cut was little-used defender Franco Negri.

San Jose Earthquakes

October roster size: 35
Total players released: 7 (20% of roster)
Released player value: $5,689,350 (33% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: The Quakes cleared out a whopping $5.6M from their salary spend. Most of that savings comes from two players. Team captain and DP Cristian Espinoza is out of contract. Another DP, Josef Martínez, had his option declined. Rumors are he’ll go south to play in LigaMX.
Bruce Arena wasn’t shy about criticizing his defensive line in post-game pressers, so it’s no surprise three defenders were let go: Bruno Wilson, Rodrigues, Wilson Eisner. Homegrown defender and USYNT player Oscar Verhoeven’s mid-season transfer to San Diego FC was made permanent for $350K GAM and a sell-on cut.

Seattle Sounders

October roster size: 30
Total players released: 9 (30% of roster)
Released player value: $2,278,644 (12% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: The following players’ options were all declined: Leo Burney (D), Jacob Castro (GK), Ryan Kent (M), Travian Sousa (D) Four players had expiring contracts: Stefan Frei (starting GK), Paul Rothrock (attacking midfielder, a big loss IMO), Jonathan Bell (D), João Paulo (M). Homegrown academy midfielder Danny Leyva was traded to Liga MX side Club Necaxa after seven seasons with the Sounders. Terms were not disclosed.

Sporting Kansas City

October roster size: 25
Total players released: 11 (44% of roster)
Released player value: $8,107,887 (46% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: After a dismal season, Sporting KC has burned the entire roster to the ground in a massive remodeling effort under their new President of Soccer Operations, David Lee. Just under half the team, and half the salary spend, was cut. Here’s the breakdown: Defenders: Andrew Brody, Joaquín Fernández, Tim Leibold, Alán Montes, Logan Ndenbe, Robert Voloder. No surprise here. KC gave up 65 goals, the third worst in the league. Midfielders: Nemanja Radoja, Memo Rodríguez, Erik Thommy Forwards: Khiry Shelton, Mason Toye

St. Louis CITY SC

October roster size: 35
Total players released: 7 (20% of roster)
Released player value: $1,729,368 (10% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: STL was carrying a large roster, and dropped out five players. Midfielders: Rasmus Alm, Alfredo Morales, Akil Watts. Conrad Wallem’s loan expired and he’s back to Czechia with Slavia Praha. Defenders: Selmir Pidro, Michael Wentzel. Devin Padelford will go back north to Minnesota United as his loan ended.

Vancouver Whitecaps

October roster size: 32
Total players released: 4 (13% of roster)
Released player value: $380,944 (2% of overall team salary)
Notable moves: Your team made the MLS Cup finals. That’s a good sign to employ the “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” rule. Three reserve players all got marching orders; striker Daniel Ríos will return to parent club Chivas.

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