The MLB trade deadline has lost excitement due to the expanded Wild Card format. The current situation has 18 teams over .500, leading to more buyers and only a dozen potential sellers. A proposed solution is to move the deadline two weeks later, akin to the NHL's more successful timing. This change would create clearer buyer and seller distinctions, leading to increased trading activity. Hesitation from executives stems from a desire to maintain hope for underperforming teams as the season progresses.
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 its luster.
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.
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.
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.
Collection
[
|
...
]