The days leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline are some of the most anticipated of the entire Major League Baseball season, and this latest edition did not disappoint.
There were blockbusters early and right up until the deadline. Teams made them while in the thick of divisional and Wild Card races as well as on the fringe of postseason discussions.
Every one of these deals has already affected the playoff races, and some are no more than a week old. Then again, that is exactly why these teams pulled off these kinds of trades. That they are making instant impacts should not stun anyone.
Not all the trades, however, have been entirely positive, and some have been more important than most imagined.