What happened: ESPN has published an early preview of the 2026 MLB trade deadline authored by Jeff Passan. The insider details the overarching market landscape and developing dynamics ahead of the midseason transaction cutoff.

Why it matters: Front offices utilize the weeks leading up to the deadline to finalize their organizational posture as buyers or sellers. Roster decisions in July dictate immediate contention trajectories and the long-term distribution of prospect capital.

What to watch: Clubs continue evaluating their major-league depth through the All-Star break before executing transactions.