To set the stage for the sprint to the deadline, here's a primer based on what I'm hearing from front office executives across the league.

A Major League Baseball executive thinks the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants should open their wallets before the trade deadline.

Major League Baseball's annual trade deadline is 6 p.m. ET this Thursday, July 31, meaning teams are running out of time to declare themselves buyers or sellers. There is only so much time to remain in the mushy middle.