The baseball season is unapologetically long. It runs from the beginning of April all the way through the end of September. And with the All-Star Game having lost some of its luster, offense trending downward and interleague play no longer a fun novelty, for many it only gets exciting in the last couple months when the playoff races really heat up. But we’re now reaching that point and the stretch run is signaled by the flurry of trades just before the MLB trade deadline at the end of this month.

Whether your team is trying to make a push to make the playoffs, just trying to hold on and improve its position or whether your team is completely out of it and looking to trade for the future, the trade deadline provides drama for all fans. Does anyone have any doubt the Yankees and Red Sox will make moves in their battle in the AL East? But the most interesting race is in the NL Central, where four of the six teams have a legitimate shot to win the division and most surprising of all is that the Pirates are one of those teams.

There have been plenty of big names thrown around as possible trade bait. The Mets are almost undoubtedly going to trade Carlos Beltran, for the right price the Rockies could let go of Ubaldo Jimenez, and for teams looking for a closer, the Padres might be willing to part with Heath Bell. Will any of these major acquisitions help their new teams make the playoffs or possibly even help bring them a world championship? It wouldn’t be the first time it has happened. From rental players that stayed just a couple months to a pitcher that helped lift a franchise to its first World Series title ever, here are our Top 10 Midseason Trades to Have an Instant Impact.