These 5 MLB waiver trades will shape the postseason chase

Teams were still busy up until Friday’s midnight deadline to add important pieces they hope will get them deep into October.

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline may have passed on July 31, but teams were still busy into August adding pieces for a playoff push.

Teams had until midnight on Friday to make deals for players that will be eligible for their postseason roster. In order for a player to be traded in August, however, they had to first pass through revocable waivers. The players most likely to be dealt are veterans with large contracts that other teams won’t want to take on.

Since any team can claim a player put on waivers, August trades are harder to complete but can have the same impact as those made earlier in the season. Last year the Houston Astros waited right up to the deadline to trade for Justin Verlander, who was then a big part of the Astros winning the first World Series in franchise history that October.

These five players who were traded in the past month may not have the impact Verlander had for the Astros, but could play an important role for their new teams as the pennant races heat up.