What happened: The Athletic projects the current playoff field to survive the second half. The forecast weighs potential trades alongside teams' paths into the draft lottery.
Why it matters: The deadline is clubs' final in-season chance to adjust their rosters before playoff positioning hardens. Lottery position gives teams outside the race a separate stake in the closing schedule.
By the numbers: The 2026 schedule has 44 games per team. The trade deadline is Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. ET.
What to watch: The first post-deadline games will show whether roster changes shift the postseason cutoff.