The 2026 MLB trade deadline is set for 6 p.m. ET on Monday, August 3, with teams still scrambling to determine whether they are legitimate playoff contenders or simply the product of a weak first half, according to CBS Sports.
The biggest move already made before the deadline is Tarik Skubal heading to the Dodgers, described as the first and largest domino to fall. The muddled standings across nearly every division and both wild-card races have turned this deadline into a seller's market, leaving contenders searching for answers in the final hours.
Questions remain for several clubs. Where teams like the Brewers, Rays, and Phillies turn for starting pitching is unsettled. Whether the Red Sox go all in after a 15-game winning streak converted them from sellers to buyers is unresolved. And how deeply the Mets dismantle their roster is still unclear.
One move came down Sunday night. The Washington Nationals traded one of their top hitters, Luis Garcia, who is headed to the Yankees. The deal came as the Nationals dropped a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves, completing a sweep. Washington has now lost five in a row and sits at 55-58 on the season.
The Nationals will play at Philadelphia Monday night at 6:40 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park, with first pitch and the trade deadline arriving within the same hour. The Phillies entered Monday at 59-53 after defeating Baltimore 8-0 on Sunday and taking two of three from the Orioles. Philadelphia has won eight of the past 11 meetings between the two National League East rivals.
The Phillies carry a -153 money line favorite designation for Monday's game. The over/under sits at 9.5 combined runs. Aaron Nola is scheduled to start for Philadelphia.
