The first thing you need to know about Major League Baseball’s trading deadline is that there really isn’t a trade deadline at all. Yeah there are some important dates like July 31 and August 31, but it doesn’t mean you can’t make a trade, there are some restrictions that take effect on those dates making it just a little harder to make a trade. So if you are under the impression that you can’t make a trade after July 31 you would be mistaken, yeah baseball’s rules do get confusing, so The Sports Den will try and explain it as we see it.

July 31 – This is the non-waiver deadline, meaning for example if the Phillies wanted to trade for the Blue Jays Roy Halladay they could go ahead and make a trade, if they come to an agreement. This is where most of the big name trades are done.If the Phillies and Blue Jays wanted to make that same deal after July 31 Roy Halladay would first have to clear waivers giving lets say the Dodgers,Mets, and any other team the chance to claim Halladay off waivers, forcing the Blue Jays to either pull him back off waivers or trading him to the team that claimed him.That makes it less likely a big name player will be traded after July 31.  Thats why if there is a trade after July 31 it will be lessor known players making it easier to get through waivers, or a team just trying to cut payroll.

August 31 – This is the more important date, if a team wants to rade for a  player, and for that player to be    eligible for the playoffs he would have to be traded before this date.Any trade after August 31 the players would not be able to be on the playoff roster. Usually any trades after this date are usually emergency moves to fill a roster spot until an injured player can come back, or again some team is just trying to cut payroll.

See there really isn’t a trade deadline at all. Just restrictions that confuse people.

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