What happened: The New York Times reports that deciding whether to buy or sell at this year's MLB trade deadline has become more complicated than in past summers. The piece frames front offices across the league as facing tougher calls than usual heading into the deadline window.

Why it matters: A harder buy-or-sell read means more front offices could sit on the fence deep into deadline week rather than committing early to a direction. That uncertainty tends to compress the trade market into a shorter, more chaotic stretch right before the deadline closes.

What to watch: Watch for front offices to tip their hand as the deadline approaches, with the pace of moves likely to pick up in the final days.