For the upcoming season, the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline will be moved back 24 hours from July 31 to August 1, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The move will only be for the 2016 season because July 31 falls on a Sunday.
According to MLB.com’s Richard Justice, the commissioner’s office does not want the flurry of deadline deals to occur as games are going on. This would not only make it more feasible for teams to use their new players immediately (instead of waiting a day for the player to travel) but would also prevent a Wilmer Flores-type situation from happening.
While the Flores-Carlos Gomez deal did not take place on July 31 last year, there have been many instances in the past where traded players were on the field for their old teams. Moving the deadline to a time where no games are going on (it will presumably still be 4 p.m.) makes the process easier for everyone.
