MLB needs to move the trade deadline back

As we sit here on Friday, July 25th, we are exactly six days away from this year’s MLB trade deadline, one of my favorite days on the calendar. Whether your team is buying, selling, or standing pat, it is often a fun day full of deals around the league. HOWEVER, lately, the deadline has had some issues.

Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

Since MLB expanded the Wild Card to two teams in 2012, and then to three teams in 2022, the deadline has lost a little bit of it’s luster. Due to the expanded format, there are more teams willing to buy (good!), but also fewer teams willing to sell (bad!).

At this very moment, there are 18 teams at or above .500. That is more than half the league that is likely looking to buy. I’m sure most of you can do math, but if not, that would leave just twelve teams as sellers. Now, yes, there is some nuance here. A few of those teams on the fringe could buy and sell, we as Red Sox fans of the last few years know how that works. But there’s an obvious mismatch here.

My solution is simple. Move the trade deadline a few weeks later! Of the major North American sports other than baseball, the most active trade deadline is far and away the National Hockey League. The NHL’s trade deadline occurs some time in early March, a little bit more than three-quarters of the way through the season. The buyers and sellers are often clearly defined, and there are deals aplenty. It’s a blast.

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

For MLB to match the point in the season that the NHL’s deadline comes at, they would only need to move the date about two weeks later. This simple change would pay immediate dividends with more defined buyers and sellers, thus more action. A lot can happen in two weeks.

I get why Manfred and co. are hesitant to make this change. More definition at the deadline means fewer GMs and owners that are able to convince themselves and their fans that the team is going to be good down the stretch. But that’s actually another reason why moving it later in the season can help! Selling fans on an ugly final ~forty games is a bit less of a burden than an ugly final ~sixty games.

It does seem this will be a reasonably active trade deadline, but it could be so much more! I don’t expect that this is a big priority for the league, but considering the CBA expires after next season anyway, why not just toss a two-week delay in the deadline in there. Either way,

Mr. MLB Trade Deadline, Mayor Wu will see you now.

Photo by Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images