The 2023 MLB trade deadline is just around the corner. The new playoff format has a lot of teams in the mix, setting up an intriguing final push to the deadline. While Shohei Ohtani isn't going anywhere, blockbuster deals are already flying in. There's a lot to decipher before the playoff push for the 2023 MLB season arrives. Here's everything you need to know.
What time is the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline?
The exact time of the 2023 MLB trade deadline is 6 p.m ET (3 p.m. PT) on Aug. 1, 2023. Teams are rapidly running out of time to finish deals that will solidy their status as World Series contenders, or league bottom-feeders for the rest of the summer. Is your team going all in or giving up the year and preparing for the offseason? Check out all the trade action and all that has yet to come on ClutchPoints' 2023 MLB trade deadline tracker.
MLB Trade Deadline Buyers and Sellers
The theme of this year has been buy, buy, buy! With two more playoff spots available for the taking this year, everyone has a chance to play October baseball. Well, not everyone. But only the teams truly adrift from their division leads are real sellers. Fortunately for them, that means more teams willing to mortgage their futures and give up propsects than last year. In other words, it's a seller's market.
Trade Deadline Buyers
It may be a sellers marker, but the buyers are easier to identify. Maybe more than any other major U.S. sport, MLB's salary and contract rules allow teams to really go for it and sell out for a chance at a World Series at the trade deadline. The Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers have been two of the best and most surprising American League teams of the season so far. Both teams have looking to add more pieces before the deadline. Orioles GM Mike Elias implied the team would be going after pitchers, while the Rangers have already acquired Max Scherzer in the blockbuster with the New York Mets.
In the National League, the Atlanta Braves have been the best team in MLB through July. They've done it largly on the backs of three consistent starters and a rotating cast of others. Starting pitching is a big need, espcially given that riding three arms will only become more difficult in the playoffs.
Elsewhere in the NL, the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and even the Chicago Cubs find themselves in a three-way race for the NL Central. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Fransico Giants, and Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves in a tight race of their own for the NL West. That makes seven teams fighting for six playoff spots, not to mention the small handful of other NL teams all above .500. Every one of these teams have deadline work to do if they want to secure playoff baseball.
The most interesting buyers will continue to be the Los Angeles Angels. When you have Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on your team, people expect you to win. And when you don't, fans and media want you to trade those stars. Which makes it all the more interesting that after formally taking Ohtani off the trade market, the Angels have emerged as true buyers at this trade deadline. How much help can they bring Ohtani and Trout? How much will it cost? And will it be enough to keep Ohtani in free agency? We'll know the answers to two of those questions very soon.
Trade Deadline Sellers
Many of the usual suspects (small-market franchises) find themselves in a selling position after failing to Moneyball their way to the top. The Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals have flirted with being historically bad (and turbulent) at times this season. However, the biggest name that belonged to either club at the begining of the year was already dealt a month ago. Aroldis Chapman went from Kansas City to Texas. The Pittsburgh Pirates cooled back off to where everyone expected them to be after a surprising hot start to the season, and they have begun selling off some spare parts with more potentially on the way.
Most teams under .500 are probably looking at a lost season. One of the biggest surprises in the bottom-half of the league is the Mets. After owner Steve Cohen's massive investment into the roster, expecations were high. They sit well off the pace of the division-leading Braves, have already moved one of their biggest investments in Scherzer, and they could move fellow starter Justin Verlander before the deadline too.
The New York Yankees
Yes, all you non-Yankee fans are probably exhausted. We've been hearing for months about how Aaron Judge has been hurt, that Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman need to go and that this is the worst season ever. To be fair, being 55-50 and in last place in your division is pretty unlucky. While they're not in terrible position for an AL Wild Card spot, this roster is clearly flawed, especially when Judge is out of the lineup.
With that being said, these are the Yankees we're talking about. They're the one team you can always count on to be buyers. Don't count on any huge moves, though, and definitely don't count on much loyalty to anyone on the roster other than Judge and Gerrit Cole.
2023 Trade Deadline Rumors and Players Available
Given all that information, what will actually happen? We won't know until it's all said and done early Tuesday evening, but there are plenty of rumors flying around and players being made available. Verlander is one of the biggest names still on the market. Any team making a playoff push would be lucky to retain his services he has enough in the tank. However, they'd have to convince him to waive his no-trade clause. And so far, only the Dodgers have interested Verlander.
All eyes will still be on the Angels to see what else they're able to do to back up Ohtani's MVP-worthy campaign. But there are still so many pieces that could still fall into place. The Giants are rumored to be interested in selling from their pitching depth in order to add elsewhere. The Seattle Mariners may be giving up some valuable pieces in Ty France, Paul Sewald and Teoscar Hernández as well.
Whether you're getting excited for the playoffs, or looking reasons to be excited for the future, the 2023 MLB trade deadline will be worth keeping a close eye on until it's all said and done.
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