Although the 2013 trade deadline was quieter than usual, it still was full of excitement. July 31 served as the trade deadline meaning that Major League Baseball teams could not exchange players with one another after 4 p.m. As anticipated, teams were scrambling to make deals, both for the short term and some to fulfill long-term needs. A simple day at the office kept many away from the action, so here are the main deals heading up to the deadline.

Graphic by Trevor Waddell/Old Gold & Black

Late on July 30 veteran pitcher Jake Peavy with the Boston Red Sox and rookie sensation Jose Iglesias with the Detroit Tigers shipping Brayan Villareal and Avisail Garcia to the Chicago White Sox. Peavy came to Boston to add some stability to the starting rotation, and even though Detroit gave up one of their top prospects in Garcia, the Tigers needed to fill a shortstop position that would be left if Jhonny Peralta is suspended for performance enhancing drugs.

In addition to the blockbuster deal, some smaller exchanges were made. Bud Norris, starting pitcher of the Houston Astros was sent to the Baltimore Orioles. Houston was also active in talks with the Kansas City Royals, which culminated in the Astros sending outfielder Justin Maxwell to the Royals, who are vying for a wild card slot in the 2013 playoffs. Also, Ian Kennedy, starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-handed relief pitcher Joe Thatcher along with some smaller pieces.

While a number of smaller deals were made, such as the Detroit Tigers claiming Jose Veras from the Houston Astros to attempt to solve their bullpen issues, the Jake Peavy/Jose Iglesias deal dominated baseball talks. It is clear that Boston and Detroit are looking to make it into the playoffs and beyond this season, and with these deadline deals, they may reach those goals.