MLB Exec Says Trade Market is 'Slow-Moving' Amid 2025 Deadline Rumors

Multiple factors are reportedly contributing to a sluggish market ahead of Thursday's MLB trade deadline.

An anonymous MLB executive referenced the "slow-moving market" to ESPN's Buster Olney, who noted that sellers are holding firm on their high asking prices and buyers are trying to wait them out.

Some notable deals have gone down in recent days, including the New York Yankees acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon, the Arizona Diamondbacks trading first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles moving a pair of relievers in Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez, but many of the biggest names believed to be potentially available haven't gotten dealt yet.

Some of those players, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, include Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez and starting pitchers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller and a trio of Orioles in slugger Ryan O'Hearn, outfielder Cedric Mullins and starting pitcher Charlie Morton.

Olney wrote that the "dam will break" eventually in the form of "fast and furious" deals prior to the deadline, primarily involving relievers.

Feinsand believes several big-name bullpen arms could find themselves switching teams, such as Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins, Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals, David Bednar of the Pirates and Anthony Bender of the Miami Marlins.

As things stand entering play on Wednesday, 11 teams in the American League are either in the playoffs or within four games of a playoff spot, and nine teams in the National League are either in the playoffs or within five games of a playoff spot.

That suggests the majority of the league will be buyers, providing the sellers with even more bargaining power and incentive to shoot for the stars rather than taking less.

Contending teams with specific teams will have to cave at some point, though, and that could conceivably lead to a plethora of trades with the potential to completely change the postseason and World Series outlook.