Every year the trade deadline comes but we’re never totally sure when it goes — until now.
We all know what the trade deadline is. Some of us get confused about the finer details, like when exactly it passes. No one can be blamed since it’s a once-a-year thing we only passionately care about for a month or two.
Let’s burn through some questions you might or may not have but are too anxious to ask since you might feel like less of a sports fan (you’re not, so get that in check).
When does the MLB Trade Deadline expire?
It officially passes at 4 pm ET.
Well, how come there are trades happening after 4 pm?
Trades aren’t happening after the deadline, they’re simply getting announced. Teams have until the 4 pm deadline to file a trade with the league, which often creates a backlog of deals that need to be sifted through and approved.
So if you’re seeing Ken Rosenthal tweet about a deal after the deadline has passed, it’s because the paperwork was backed up.
Can teams trade after the deadline?
Yes.
This is the non-waiver deadline, which means teams don’t have to jump through extra hoops to deal a player. If Team A wants to deal Player X to Team B, all that needs to happen is the two sides coming to an agreement. Once the deadline passes, we enter waiver trade territory for the entirety of August.
For a trade to go down after the deadline, here’s what needs to happen:
- A team must place the player it wishes to trade on revocable waivers.
- That player must clear waivers, meaning no team places a claim on him
This is where things get hairy a compared to the non-waiver trade deadline: Having to put a player through waivers, it means any team can claim him.
If that happens, a trade can only happen with that one team. Claiming a player means blocking a deal to another team, but opens you up to having to take on that player’s salary if the team that waived him grants his release. The team that waived the player reserves the right to revoke his status, thus keeping him on the roster.