What happened: ESPN's Jeff Passan has published an early preview of the 2026 MLB trade deadline. The piece lays out the league landscape as contenders and sellers begin to take shape ahead of the summer deadline.

Why it matters: The trade deadline is one of the season's pivot points, reshaping playoff races and farm systems in a matter of hours. An early read from Passan signals which clubs are positioning to buy or sell while there is still time to maneuver.

What to watch: Watch how standings firm up over the next several weeks, as the deadline sits just over a month away in early August.