Major League Baseball changes trade deadline date for 2026
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MLB has pushed back the trade deadline a few days relative to last season's deadline on the final Thursday of July.
Major League Baseball has notified clubs that this season's trade deadline will fall on Monday, August 3 at 6:00 p.m. ET, according to Robert Murray of FanSided.
MLB has informed teams that the trade deadline will be on Aug. 3 at 6pm ET.
Date is a slight shift from last year, when the deadline landed on the final Thursday of July
MLB generally prefers to schedule the trade deadline on a weekday and in the evening, ensuring that no games are in progress at the cutoff.
This approach helps avoid awkward situations such as players being traded mid-game or emotional on-field farewells.
The league's late-July schedule includes at least one day game from July 29-31, along with traditional getaway games on Wednesday and Thursday.
Additionally, the Cubs are set to host the Yankees for a standard Wrigley Field day game on Friday, July 31.
As a result, MLB appears to have opted to move the deadline back a few days.
Notably, all eight games on August 3 are scheduled to start at 6:40 p.m. ET or later.
Mark your calendars: The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline will be on August 3 at 6pm ET.
The adjustable deadline is a product of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement.
Under previous CBAs, the trade deadline was fixed on July 31 each year.
The current agreement allows MLB to choose any date between July 28 and August 3, and this marks the first time the league has selected the latest possible option.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 27|34 ANSWERS Major League Baseball changes trade deadline date for 2026 Is it better to have the trade deadline last as long as possible? | ||
| Yes | 15 | 44.1 % |
| No | 7 | 20.6 % |
| Doesn't Matter | 12 | 35.3 % |
| List of polls | ||