The Major League Baseball trade deadline is Wednesday July 31 at 3:00 Central Time. For the first time in the history of the game, the trade deadline is a real one, meaning that certain trades will be outright prohibited after that time, instead of requiring teams to go through the mysterious process known as “waivers.” There have been several changes to certain rules involving trades over the years, and in this article, I will trace the history of the important ones, as well as outline the new rules that will govern the clubs going forward.
HISTORY OF TRADE DEADLINES
In the beginning of major league baseball, trades did not even appear to be allowed.