Quartet of clubs take a leap in the dark

If the MLB World Series chase were a poker game, the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants would have each raised the stakes and gone all at the end of last month, while the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals would have folded.

By the July 30 trading deadline, all of the former clubs listed made bold — and expensive moves — in acquiring big name, soon-to-be-free agents in hopes they’ll help push them to where the clubs want to be — deep into the post-season.

An almost unprecedented number of star players were unloaded this year as a large number of ballclubs hopelessly out of the pennant or wildcard chase unloaded luminaries free agents they chose not to attempt to resign next off-season.

They were swapped for promising prospects as some clubs decided to go the rebuilding route rather than keep their stars and break…