So Bruney cleared waivers and will refuse assignment. So what happens if he continues to refuse to report and the Nats can't trade him? It sucks if they still have to pay him for that.
According to Cots, he's got less than 5 years of service, and I think if he refuses assignment with less than 5, the Nats don't have to pay him. If he had 5 or more, they'd have to pay him unless and until another team picked him up, and then pay the difference so the player is whole.