MLB Key Dates for 2025 Season: When is the Trade Deadline?
MLB spring training games are almost here, which is when those who live in snowy locales get to wrap themselves in warmth and glorious summer vibes that soothe the soul.
That's where our look at the 2025 MLB schedule and key dates begins, with Grapefruit and Cactus League games beginning this week. And with that, the MLB will shift into the on-field portion of its 2025 calendar.
Opening Day will be here fast, and then chatter will quickly drift to the trade deadline day and the massive talents like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who could be on the move.
Let's look ahead to the major dates ahead for MLB as the excitement builds for another season of baseball.
When is the 2025 MLB trade deadline?
Our attention off the field quickly moves to the trade deadline, which is on July 31, and the MLB trade market in general once the season begins. Fans of contenders with high MLB projected win totals are eyeing what major contributors could be added to plug holes, and struggling teams are looking to restock farm systems.
There's never certainty about who could be on the move, especially in mid-February before the season begins. There could be surprise buyers as teams unexpectedly surge, or the opposite.
However, the dots easily connect when we gaze ahead to who's set to become a free agent and, therefore, possibly a trade chip if their team is out of contention before the deadline.
That list now possibly includes Vladimir Gurrerro Jr. The Toronto Blue Jays didn't sign the slugger to an extension prior to the first baseman's self-imposed deadline, which was the start of the club's full-squad spring training workouts on Feb. 18.
Here are some other pending free agents at the end of the 2025 season. Some, like J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber, are unlikely to be dealt while playing on a World Series contender.
- Kyle Tucker, OF, Chicago Cubs
- Dylan Cease, SP, San Diego Padres
- Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
- Framber Valdez, SP, Houston Astros
- Michael King, SP, San Diego Padres
- Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
- J.T Realmuto, C, Philadelphia Phillies
- Kyle Schwarber, 1B/DH, Philadelphia Phillies
- Luis Arraez, IF, San Diego Padres
- Ranger Suarez, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
MLB offseason key dates & deadlines
Here's an overview of the MLB key dates during the 2025 season:
- Feb. 20: Spring training games begin
- March 18-19: The Dodgers face the Cubs in the Tokyo Series
- March 27: Opening Day
- July 14: Home Run Derby
- July 13-14: MLB draft
- July 15: All-Star Game
- July 31: Trade deadline day
- Sept. 26-28: Final weekend of the regular season
- Sept. 29: Likely start date for MLB playoffs
- Late October to early November: World Series
- Early November: Start of MLB free agency
- Early December: Winter meetings
When do MLB spring training games begin?
Spring training games officially start on Feb. 20, with one game on tap between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs. There's also a light schedule on Feb. 21, with five games before the first full slate on Feb. 22.
When is 2025 MLB Opening Day?
The first meaningful baseball of 2025 that will count in the regular-season standings will actually be played on March 18-19, when the Dodgers and Cubs meet for a two-game miniseries in Japan.
However, the purity of Opening Day must be protected at all costs, as that's when every season truly begins. That happens on March 28, when all but two teams will be in action.
The day begins at 3 p.m. ET from Yankee Stadium when the New York Yankees host the Milwaukee Brewers, and it ends with a pair of games at 10:10 p.m. ET, including the Cubs visiting the Arizona Diamondbacks.
When is the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby?
The Midsummer Classic is set for July 15 from Truist Park, which is the home of the Braves in Atlanta.
The Home Run Derby always takes place on the Monday of the All-Star break, which will be July 14 this year. Teoscar Hernandez was the surprise winner last year after closing with a price as long as +1200 in the Home Run Derby odds.
When is the 2025 MLB draft?
While it doesn't get the same attention as the NFL or NBA drafts, the MLB draft is still clearly pivotal.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, for instance, drafted a dominant pitcher in 2023 who stood atop the MLB Rookie of the Year odds one year later, and now, in 2025, it's already safe to ask this question: Can Paul Skenes win the 2025 NL Cy Young?
When do the 2025 MLB playoffs start?
The regular season concludes on Sept. 28, and the playoffs often start the day afterward. However, if there are meaningful games for playoff races that need to be made up due to rainouts, the beginning of the postseason could be pushed back by a day.
The dominant Los Angeles Dodgers predictably lead the MLB playoff odds, though there's value to be had in the middle of the oddsboard, largely due to a highly competitive AL Central.
When is the 2025 World Series?
There's no schedule yet for the World Series, but the Fall Classic is a late October staple, and it sometimes runs over into early November.
For example, last year's World Series started on Oct. 25 and ended on Oct. 30. The latest possible end date was Nov. 2 had there been a Game 7, but the Dodgers knocked the New York Yankees off in five games.
The Dodgers are also the runaway front-runners in the World Series odds while sitting at +300, with the Yankees second. However, our World Series predictions provide other options at longer odds.
When is MLB free agency in 2025?
Players are free to sign five days after the World Series ends, though the MLB hot stove action often doesn't pick up until the Winter Meetings.
There was a time when the marquee free agents waited until later in the offseason to sign, and that can still happen. In 2019, Bryce Harper didn't ink his deal with the Philadelphia Phillies until March 2.
However, Juan Soto reached an agreement with the New York Mets this past winter on Dec. 8. And Shohei Ohtani, one of the most significant free agents ever, signed his megadeal with the Dodgers on Dec. 11, 2023.
Ohtani is now among the MLB MVP odds leaders in the National League after taking the honor last year. He's entering his second season with the Dodgers and the first when he'll be on the mound eventually.
When are the 2025 winter meetings?
The Winter Meetings are when the knob gets cranked on the MLB offseason, with all of the baseball decision-makers in one place. No date has been set yet in 2025, but in 2024, the winter meetings were held Dec. 8-11.
2025 MLB key dates FAQs
When do spring training games begin in 2025?
The first spring training game is on Feb. 20 between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, with a light schedule also on Feb. 21. The first full slate is on Feb. 22.
When is Opening Day for the 2025 MLB season?
Opening Day for the 2025 MLB season is March 27.
When does the 2025 MLB season end?
The final day of the 2025 MLB regular season is Sept. 28.
When is the 2025 World Series?
No firm date has been set, but the 2024 Fall Classic began on Oct. 25. The World Series usually begins in late October.
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