Some of the teams in the Major League Baseball playoff race decided not to wait for the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline to make improvements to their respective rosters.
Four of the six division leaders have acquired a key piece, while two of the four ballclubs currently residing in wild-card spots have done the same.
As we do after every trade in every sport, we have the need to critique the deals immediately instead of waiting for the results to play out.
While the true effects of the acquisitions will appear on the diamond in the coming months and years, there's plenty to dissect already in terms of the fight for postseason positions.