What happened: ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel released a ranking of the top 100 trade candidates ahead of MLB's Aug. 3 deadline, attaching each name to a likelihood of moving and potential landing spots. The reporters said the list is free to read and will be updated periodically as teams' contention statuses shift through July.

Why it matters: The deadline board functions as an early market map for a trade season that has not yet sorted its buyers from its sellers, and the periodic updates mean front-office posture can be tracked in close to real time. Where a player lands on the list signals how aggressively his club is expected to either contend or retool over the next seven weeks.

What to watch: Watch for the first refresh of the rankings as standings tighten and clubs declare themselves buyers or sellers heading into late July.