With the 2025 Trade Deadline on the horizon, here's everything you need to know.
What time is the MLB Trade Deadline?
• When is the MLB Trade Deadline? For 2025, it is scheduled for July 31 at 6 p.m. ET.
• For many years, the Deadline was always on July 31 at 4 p.m. ET. The Commissioner's Office can now set the Deadline for any date between July 28 and Aug. 3, in an effort to avoid conflicting with games.
What is the MLB Trade Deadline?
• The Trade Deadline is the last point during the season at which players on 40-man rosters can be traded from one club to another. Those players may still be placed and claimed on outright waivers, but trades will no longer be permitted after July 31 at 6 p.m. ET. Prior to 2019, July 31 was referred to as the non-waiver Trade Deadline, and players could be traded after that date if they first cleared revocable trade waivers. The August waiver trade period was eliminated in 2019, with MLB moving to a single Deadline.
• Minor Leaguers not on 40-man rosters can still be traded after the Deadline. However, any player must be in an organization by the end of Aug. 31 (whether on the 40-man roster or not) in order to be eligible to appear in the postseason for that club.
Read more here.
Where can I follow MLB Trade Deadline news?
• News and rumors: Stay up to date on all the latest Trade Deadline rumblings here.
Who are the top trade candidates?
Here are some of the notable players who have been mentioned in trade rumors leading up to the Deadline:
• Starting Pitchers: Tyler Anderson (Angels), Sandy Alcantara (Marlins), Chris Bassitt (Blue Jays), Edward Cabrera (Marlins), Zac Gallen (D-backs), Zach Eflin (Orioles), Andrew Heaney (Pirates), Merrill Kelly (D-backs), Zack Littell (Rays), Michael Soroka (Nationals), Tomoyuki Sugano (Orioles)
• Relief Pitchers: Félix Bautista (Orioles), David Bednar (Pirates), Anthony Bender (Marlins), Jake Bird (Rockies), Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox), Seranthony Domínguez (Orioles), Pete Fairbanks (Rays), Kyle Finnegan (Nationals), Kenley Jansen (Angels), Andrew Kittredge (Orioles), Dennis Santana (Pirates)
• Position players: Josh Bell (Nationals), Austin Hays (Reds), Danny Jansen (Rays), Brandon Lowe (Rays), Ryan McMahon (Rockies), Yoán Moncada (Angels), Ryan Mountcastle (Orioles), Cedric Mullins (Orioles), Ryan O'Hearn (Orioles), Luis Robert Jr. (White Sox), Eugenio Suárez (D-backs), Daulton Varsho (Blue Jays), Taylor Ward (Angels)
What are the key storylines to watch?
How much will the Orioles sell?
No one in Baltimore expected this. After back-to-back playoff appearances and 192 wins over the past two seasons, the Orioles have plummeted into the cellar of the AL East. They have already dismissed manager Brandon Hyde and have been hamstrung all year long by a pitching staff that ranks among the worst in the Majors.
Veterans on expiring contracts such as starting pitchers Zach Eflin and Tomoyuki Sugano, first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn and outfielder Cedric Mullins are the most obvious candidates to be shipped out. But what about star closer Félix Bautista? The man known as "The Mountain" recorded a 1.85 ERA across 126 2/3 innings from 2022-23 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He hasn't been quite as sharp in his comeback season, but Bautista could be sought after by many teams looking for bullpen help and is under contract for the next two seasons.
The Orioles have a glut of talented, young position players -- Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday and Colton Cowser, for example. It seems highly unlikely Baltimore will seriously entertain offers for those bats. But if they got an offer they couldn't refuse, the Orioles could really shake up the market.
Where will Sandy go?
Sandy Alcantara's name has been bandied about in trade rumors since the spring. Even though he has had a number of rough starts in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner should still be an attractive asset given his power fastball and penchant for getting ground balls.
Barring a surprise -- more on that in a minute -- Alcantara is likely to be the biggest name in the pitching market moved prior to the Deadline. He should command a sizable return, even amid a down year, since he is under club control through 2027 and stands out in what looks to be a relatively thin starter market.
Will more sellers emerge as the Deadline nears?
There is a clear group of teams that will be open for business at the Deadline. Earlier this season, it appeared that the Cardinals and Twins would be members of that group, but extended hot streaks in May could have them planning for a possible postseason run.
Conversely, there are a number of clubs with a decision to make: Should they buy or sell? Middling teams such as the Red Sox, Rays, Rangers, Brewers, Braves, Reds and D-backs may choose to focus more on the future than the present, which could deepen the pool of available talent.
When will the first big trade occur?
There was a headline-grabbing trade nearly three months before the 2024 Trade Deadline as the Padres acquired Luis Arraez from the Marlins on May 4. While we didn't see that type of move this May, perhaps we won't have to wait too much longer before the action starts to pick up. In previous years, there has been a host of impactful, franchise-changing deals completed during June.
Is there a surprise waiting in the SP market?
The biggest shocker -- something that has been talked about by league executives -- would be a trade involving Pirates 23-year-old ace Paul Skenes, who is under club control through 2029. The return for such a prized arm would probably be astronomical, but Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has essentially said it's not going to happen.
However, maybe other frontline pitchers will be on the move. If the Blue Jays or Brewers don't improve, could Kevin Gausman or Freddy Peralta end up on the trade block? Both starters are under club control through next season.
What happened at the 2024 Trade Deadline?
Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jack Flaherty, Tommy Edman and Tanner Scott were some of the best players traded last year. If you would like a full refresher on what went down ahead of the 2024 Deadline, click here.