Some general managers would prefer that the non-waiver trade deadline be moved back until the end of August, especially now, when the addition of two more wild-card teams to the playoff format provides lingering hope for more teams. To those GMs, the playoffs limit the number of teams that declare themselves as sellers by the end of July.

Consider the situation the Atlanta Braves face with their bullpen. They have lost two-thirds of the back end of what was expected to be the best relief corps in baseball, with lefties Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty out for the season, and it’d be great for the Braves if they could sort through a large sample size of available relievers -- left-handed and right-handed -- in the trade market.