The MLB season is a marathon, and front office executives are faced with the dilemma of becoming buyers or sellers before the MLB trade deadline. There are several factors that determine what a team should do. Contending teams must be specific about what they need. They also have to assess depth and be careful not to mortgage the future by parting ways with valuable prospects. Teams in the middle of the pack have the most difficulty deciding between buying and selling. Organizations that decide to rebuild can either trade away players with big contracts or deal multiple core pieces for prospects.
General managers are hesitant to deal with certain players, especially top prospects. If the reward is greater than the sacrifice, dealing that player is well worth it. The top squads will be searching for that player who could elevate the team to the next level, while underperforming teams often resort to selling.
