When is the MLB Trade Deadline?
The Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline takes place on July 31 at 4 p.m. ET every season.
The current deadline was instituted in 1986, and takes place on that date. There are exceptions, as when when July 31 fell on a Sunday in 2016, the date was moved to Aug. 1.
All 30 MLB teams can trade players on their 40–man roster as they choose without the player having to go through waivers.
If a player is dealt after the July 31 deadline, that player must clear waivers and teams have 48 hours to make a claim.
Waivers is a permission that is granted for certain assignments of player contracts. For trades coming after July 31 deadline, players must be offered to the other teams that are in reverse order of the standings.
Players traded after Aug. 31 at midnight ET and added to a team's roster are not eligible for the postseason.
