The July 31 MLB non-waiver trade deadline has now passed, and the deals have been completed. The teams that believe they are true contenders for this year’s postseason have made their moves towards the playoffs. Other teams, however, have waved their white flags and sold some of their top tier players, as they look toward the future for their organizations.

A couple of big name stars were traded days, even weeks, prior to July 31, while some other All-Stars were dealt away hours, even minutes before the 4 p.m. deadline.

Let’s take a look at the biggest trade headlines around the league and get an idea of how impactful these moves will be for these teams:

Houston Lands Hometown Lefty Scott Kazmir

Oakland A’s pitcher Scott Kazmir, a native of Houston, has an expiring contract and has been pitching excellently all year, despite the lack of support from Oakland’s offense, resulting in his 5-5 record with the club this season.

The A’s agreed to send Kazmir and his expiring contract to their division rival for two promising minor league prospects in an effort to recover from their horrific season this year and rebuild for the future. The Astros have bolstered their rotation, making them intimidating both on the mound and at the plate. With the addition of Kazmir, Houston is looking to prove to the league that they are true contenders in the American League.

The Houston Astros have been the most surprising team in the MLB this season, as they are still very much in the running for the AL West title and are a near-lock for at least a Wild Card spot.

From their young bats, like rookie call-up Carlos Correra, to their stellar pitching, including All-Star Game starter Dallas Keuchel, the Astros have been a force to be reckoned with all year long.

As the deadline approached, the Astros looked for depth in the pitching rotation, specifically a No. 2 starter who could pitch Game 2 in the playoffs (or perhaps the Wild Card game if they do not win the division).

Cueto Finally Traded, Heads To Kansas City

2014 NL Cy Young runner-up, Johnny Cueto, may have not only been the biggest name to get traded, but he also seemed like the most likely player to be dealt prior to the deadline.

The Cincinnati Reds indicated to the league that they were going to have a fire sale with their team filled with expiring contracts. The Kansas City Royals, on the other hand, have been in desperate need of a starting pitcher to compliment their high-powered offense and their reliable bullpen.

Although Cueto was the star pitcher they needed, the Royals let go of two promising prospects in the deal. Brandon Finnegan, who contributed to the Royals bullpen success in last year’s postseason, and John Lamb, a highly touted prospect in the Kansas City farm system, were both sent to the Reds in exchange for Cueto.

While the newly acquired ace only has this season left on his contract, it will be interesting to see Cueto’s impact in the American League and if the Cy Young-caliber flamethrower decides to re-sign with his new team.

Blue Jays Go All Out, Acquire Tulowitzki and Price

The Toronto Blue Jays are trailing in both the AL East and Wild Card standings, but the team has made two massive trades that have given them the opportunity to strike back and put themselves back into postseason discussions.

Toronto already has a plethora of bats, including their two power hitters in Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson. To build upon their lineup, Toronto surprisingly went after the Colorado Rockies’ Troy Tulowitzki, despite taking up his highly expensive seven-year contract.

In return, the Rockies received Jose Reyes, who will join his fourth team in five years, and three pitching prospects. Even though the addition of Tulowitzki was significant to the Blue Jays batting order, the team was in desperate need of marquee pitcher.

With the Detroit Tigers selling, the Blue Jays reached out and acquired All-Star pitcher David Price, whose contract expires at season’s end. In the deal, Toronto sent three pitchers to Detroit, including Daniel Norris, a highly talented rookie pitcher who received publicity for living out of his van during the course of the season.

With both Tulowitzki and Price added to the rosters, the Blue Jays have turned themselves from doubtful contenders into a terrifying team that may have lit the fuse to an explosive second half of the season.

Rangers Get Cole Hamels, Prepare For The Future

Before the 2015 season even began, Cole Hamels was expected to start his season on another team that was not the Philadelphia Phillies. While trades rumors regarding big name teams like the Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox fell through, Hamels showcased his pitching ability in the first half of the year, in an attempt to show he has what is takes to help a contending team. To put the icing on the cake, Hamels pitched his final start at Wrigley Field, where he threw a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs.

Following his remarkable performance, the Texas Rangers became the front runners for Hamels. The Rangers and the Phillies agreed to a deal a few days before the deadline, which sent the 2008 World Series MVP, along with relief pitcher Jake Diekman, to Texas in exchange for starting pitcher Matt Harrison, top ranked catching prospect Jorge Alfaro and four other prospects.

For the Phillies, who boast the worst record in baseball, the large intake of prospects will help support their massive rebuilding process. For the Rangers, who are not close enough to make a run for the AL West, but have a shot at the second Wild Card spot, the addition of Hamels not only helps them in the short run, but also benefits them in the long term.

When Texas’ ace, Yu Darvish, returns from Tommy John surgery, the Rangers might turn themselves into true contenders come next season and beyond.

Mets Botch Gomez Trade, Still Get Cespedes

The trade deadline has been an absolute roller coaster for the New York Mets.

It all started when MLB reporters began hearing (and tweeting) about the Mets making a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that would send the talented pitcher Zach Wheeler and shortstop Wilmer Flores to the Brewers for former-Mets outfielder Carlos Gomez. In the middle of the game, Flores was informed he was traded and was subsequently brought to tears on the field, knowing his tenure with his team was over.

After the game, however, reports from the Mets front office state that the deal would not happen, leaving Flores crying for nothing. Carlos Gomez would end up being traded to the Astros the next day, while the Mets seemed to be grasping at straws.

With 13 minutes left before the 4 p.m. deadline on July 31, the Mets had finally acquired the outfielder they needed. The Mets traded two pitching prospects to land the Detroit Tigers’ slugger Yoenis Cespedes, who will now call Citi Field his home ballpark for the rest of the season; Cespedes knows the stadium well, as he launched 32 home runs to win the 2013 Home Run Derby at Citi Field.

While Cespedes’ contract expires at the end of the year, and while he has been a journeyman (the Mets will be his fourth team in two years), New York has finally obtained the hitter they desperately need in their lackluster lineup, hoping Cespedes can help lead the team back into the postseason and perhaps take the NL East title from the Nationals.