MLB Trade Deadline Could Be Moved Back From July 31st

Commissioner Rob Manfred hasn’t been on the job for a calendar year yet and has already made radical changes to the replay system and other facets of today’s game. Commissioner Manfred wants to continue making changes to the game including holding exhibition games inside Cuba, expanding from 30 MLB teams, possibly expanding playoff formats and moving back the July 31^st non-waiver trading deadline.

With the addition of the second Wild Card playoff team in both leagues there are more buyers than ever and not nearly enough sellers in the trading market every year leading Manfred to at least discuss the possibility of moving the deadline back. The July trading deadline was first seen in 1920 after the rest of the American League owners feared the New York Yankees financial advantage in the wake of the Babe Ruth purchase/acquisition. Although no date was officially set in stone until 1923, when teams could not trade after June 15^th, the deadline was active and unchanged until 1986. In 1986 the deadline was moved back to where it stands now, July 31^st, as a part of a new collective bargaining agreement.

The new deadline, which could conveniently come with the new CBA that expires after the 2016 season, could be set somewhere around August 15^th giving the contenders and the pretenders two additional weeks to figure themselves out and evaluate before making potential franchise changing decisions. Honestly, and this is just my opinion, how many times have we seen a team sell off a few pieces at the end of July only to climb back into things by mid-August? Never? Once? I’m all for changes that help the game but I am very much against change for the sake of change and this may be just that. Again, just my opinion but this isn’t an issue I see myself beating a drum for. Remember, there are plenty of trades that happen between August 1^st and August 31^st through the waiver trading deadline and even trades happen into September when players become ineligible for the postseason. It happens, it’s always happened and I don’t see a need in changing it now.

Just my two pennies.