The era of the rumor mill is over (at least for a few months), but MLB news is flying fast and furious around the sport.
There's a few key stories that need updating here at Call To The Pen, including an announcement that solidifies the date and time of the 2025 baseball trade deadline.
2025 MLB trade deadline finalized
There's been quite a few date-related changes that have stemmed from the most recent MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement — Opening Day, the start of the playoffs, and more aren't as rigid as they used to be — and one of the most notable days on the calendar has been in flux in recent seasons.
However, in 2025, the trade deadline will be returned to its rightful spot on July 31 after a few years of bouncing around the date. Teams will no longer be able to complete trades after 6 pm EST on the final day of July this season.
The MLB trade deadline will be the traditional July 31 at 6 pm this year. In last CBA, Commissioners Office has right to move it around and it was, for example, July 30 last year and Aug. 1 in 2023.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 11, 2025
As a reminder, the All-Star break is from July 14-17 this year, with the Midsummer Classic being played on the 15th. Teams will have approximately two weeks from then to finalize any deals to fortify their rosters for the stretch run.
Which teams are in or out of contention by then are a mystery to us now, but some very notably names could be on trade block come July, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Sandy Alcantara, and others.
Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg could be forced to sell franchise
The Tampa Bay Rays are going to have a tumultuous 2025 season. They've already been forced from their home at Tropicana Field due to an offseason hurricane — and will therefore have to play the season in a minor league stadium — and now, their owner Stu Sternberg is being pressured to sell the franchise.
At the core of the bid to get Sternberg to walk is the incumbent owner's tense relationship with public officials in Tampa and the surrounding cities. It's long been known that the league wants the Rays to remain in Florida (though, likely not in downtown St. Petersburg where Tropicana is located) while Sternberg has had eyes for other cities.
It's not uncommon for other owners or the league commissioner to get involved in these matters, but Rob Manfred hasn't exactly been a shining beacon of light in the past. He just sat on his hands and watched John Fisher tank and forcibly relocate his beloved franchise out of Oakland — what evidence is there to say that he actually has the Rays' best interest at heart?
Regardless, this situation bears monitoring. The MLB is already trying to navigate a difficult sale of the Minnesota Twins, who lost their top prospective buyers in February.