There are only three games left in the 2018 MLS season, which means we’re rapidly approaching the seemingly annual ritual of an expansion draft. This time around, FC Cincinnati is coming into the league, which for D.C. United means trying to figure out how to best keep Cincy from snapping up any Black-and-Red players. Sure, you could argue that the expansion draft now no longer has enough utility to justify teams losing players they weren’t interested in losing, but that’s a lost cause. MLS loves its drafts, so there will be a draft.
Unlike years past, there are some modest differences to take into account.