So no worries on a black-and-gold player getting picked.
The 2022 season has just ended, but roster decisions are well underway around MLS for 2023, and that includes the upcoming MLS Expansion Draft on Friday.
2023 expansion team St. Louis City SC will take five players in Friday’s draft, but some good news for LAFC: No player will be selected in the expansion draft from the black-and-gold.
That’s because LAFC are exempt from this year’s expansion draft after they had a player, defender Tristan Blackmon, selected in last year’s Expansion Draft by Charlotte FC. Yes, Charlotte ended up trading Blackmon immediately to the Vancouver Whitecaps, but LAFC lost a player and so they don’t have to participate at all this time around.
It is possible LAFC could make a trade with St. Louis City outside of the expansion draft — they did that last year around Charlotte FC’s expansion draft, sending Pablo Sisniega in exchange for Ismael Tajouri-Shradi. But there won’t be any players unilaterally selected in the expansion draft, so no need to sweat over the event this year or for John Thorrington to stress over making a list of protected players.
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