MLS Releases Expansion Draft Protected Lists, No Keepers for PTFC

The protected lists for the 2017 MLS Expansion Draft have been released and the Portland Timbers have left both of their starting keepers from the 2017 season exposed.

On the Timbers’ protected list are Alvas Powell, Liam Ridgewell, Larrys Mabiala, Vytas Andriuškevičius, Diego Chara, David Guzman, Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco, Fanendo Adi, and Dairon Asprilla. This leaves Zarek Valentin, Jeff Attinella, and Jake Gleeson as the most notable Timbers to be exposed in the expansion draft after Darren Mattocks was dealt to DC United during this morning’s brief trade window.

Ridgewell seems to be the most surprising inclusion on the list after missing significant time for the Timbers over the last two seasons due to injury. While the Timbers were certainly a better side with Ridgewell on the pitch, his injury history and significant contract seemed likely to see him left exposed.

The Timbers have protected their full eleven players, as well as Generation Adidas signing Jeremy Ebobisse and homegrown signing Marco Farfan, both of whom were automatically protected due to their contract types.

The expansion draft will be held on Tuesday, December 12th and new expansion side LAFC will make five picks from the pool of players left unprotected across MLS, although no more than one of those picks can come from a given team.