Recent MLB Transactions: Fantasy Baseball Outlooks for Bassitt, Mikolas, Quintana and More

A few more MLB transactions have gone down over the past couple days, so let's discuss them here.

We will go over real world and fantasy baseball implications of each move we discuss.

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Baltimore Adds Bassitt

Chris Bassitt signed a one-year deal with Baltimore worth $18.5 million.

The nearly 37-year-old will be entering his 12th year in the big leagues. He owns a career 3.64 earned run average, while striking out 1,191 batters over 1,278 2/3 innings.

Bassitt spent the 2025 season with Toronto, making 32 appearances (31 starts). He went 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA over 170 1/3 innings, so he appears to have some gas left in the tank. Bassitt struck out 166 batters in his time on the bump, so there's some fantasy appeal here too.

Baltimore is now projected to go with a six-man rotation, with Bassitt as the No. 3 guy. Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer are the other projected starting pitchers.

The Orioles have several other starting pitcher options, but for the price he signed at, Bassitt is going to be part of the rotation. If he can get in a full season, there's a chance he delivers pretty well again for fantasy owners.

Even before having a team, Bassitt was on the average draft position list. He sits 235th on the list, going around pick 180 on average. With a home now, I'd expect Bassitt to rise up that list a bit.

I can't make a call on his ADP until we know where it will be after the signing. I don't think he will go too much earlier, and if he doesn't, he'll be a good draft value option in the latter half of drafts. 

He should be taken in standard leagues now, and definitely will be a part of deeper fantasy setups. Definitely consider drafting/rostering Bassitt as a depth option in your starting rotation. He might stick on your roster all season and end up being a big time draft steal by the end of the 2026 season.

Mikolas Signs with Washington

Miles Mikolas is headed to the Nationals after signing a one-year deal worth $2.25 million.

Mikolas is 37 years old and is entering his 11th MLB season. He spent the past seven years in the big leagues with the Cardinals.

Over 241 appearances (213 starts) in his career, Mikolas is 72-75 with a 4.24 ERA. He has 895 strikeouts over 1,252 1/3 innings.

Last year, he made 31 starts for St. Louis. He went 8-11 and had an ugly 4.84 ERA, and that was a bounceback effort after a 5.35 ERA in 2024. Mikolas struck out 100 batters over 156 1/3 innings last season.

Mikolas is a starting rotation option now for Washington. He's projected to be the No. 1 starter, ahead of Cade Cavalli, Brad Lord, Josiah Gray and Foster Griffin.

Griff McGarry is the projected long reliever now, with DJ Herz and Trevor Williams being options if/when they return from injuries. There's several starting pitcher options projected to open the year in the minor leagues, so while depth isn't a problem, proven MLB SPs are hard to find in Washington.

That gives Mikolas a chance to stick in the rotation all season, even if he's not pitching the best. He will help eat innings, and if he can limit runs a bit, he has some fantasy value to take advantage of.

Mikolas isn't on the ADP list right now, but he could definitely sneak onto it before the season kicks off. He's a better deep-league asset at this point of his career, but good numbers could help him in standard leagues as the season progresses.

Mikolas is going to be overlooked after his past two seasons, but he has a little appeal left. Don't overlook him in deeper leagues, and don't forget about him in standard leagues.

Rockies Land Quintana

Jose Quintana is another veteran arm who signed, landing a one-year deal with Colorado worth $6 million.

The 37-year-old is entering his 15th MLB season, and still has some gas in the tank. He pitched with Milwaukee in 2025, making 24 starts. Quintana went 11-7 with a 3.96 ERA. He struck out 89 batters over 131 2/3 innings.

In his career, Quintana has a 3.76 ERA and 113-110 record over 383 appearances (357 starts). Quintana has 1,816 strikeouts over 2,101 1/3 innings.

He might be on the back nine of his career, but Quintana can still provide decent results on the hill. This landing spot is not ideal, as any pitcher for the Rockies is at a disadvantage because of the home park they pitch in.

Quintana doesn't have the strikeout stuff he used to, but he's been good at limiting runs still. He will need to do that even better this season to have consistent fantasy value.

He isn't on the ADP list either, but he has some deep-league appeal at least. For games that he isn't pitching at home, or has a good/great matchup, Quintana could be a standard league streaming option.

I like his chances to stick in the Colorado rotation if he stays healthy. He's the projected No. 3 starter, following Kyle Freeland and Michael Lorenzen, and having Chase Dollander and Tomoyuki Sugano after him.

Keegan Thompson is the projected long reliever. There's not many notable options projected to start the year in the minor leagues, which is why I'm confident in Quintana sticking in the rotation if he stays healthy.

Now we will wait and see if he can turn back the clock a bit and emerge as more than a deep-league asset ever.

Brewers Add Sanchez to Mix

Milwaukee made a rare free agent signing, bringing back Gary Sanchez on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million.

Sanchez was in Milwaukee in 2024, getting in 89 contests that season. He was with Baltimore in 2025, but only played in 29 games.

He has some pop, but likely won't play enough to be a legit fantasy asset. Sanchez is projected to be the team's backup catcher, which knocks Reese McGuire off the big league roster. Jeferson Quero is another option for the backup spot.

Sanchez could also provide help at the designated hitter spot, or at first base. Christian Yelich is expected to be the team's DH, while Andrew Vaughn is the first baseman. William Contreras is the catcher, and he plays nearly every day.

Sanchez isn't on the fantasy radar at the moment, but an injury to any of those hitters I just mentioned could thrust Sanchez into a bigger role at any point. That makes Sanchez one to keep tabs on.

Montgomery Back in Texas

Jordan Montgomery is headed back to the Rangers on a one-year deal worth $1.25 million.

He is working his way back from elbow reconstruction surgery and will be an option around the All-Star break.

The 33-year-old lefty is entering his ninth MLB season, and didn't pitch at all in 2025. Montgomery has a career 4.03 ERA over 166 appearances (161 starts), while having a 46-41 record and 788 strikeouts over 872 innings.

Texas has a projected rotation of Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore, Jack Leiter and Jacob Latz. Montgomery will be an option later in the season, while Cody Bradford is an option earlier in the season. 

There's other starting pitching options, but no great options, so Montgomery is more of a depth signing. If he eventually makes some starts, he could be worth adding/streaming/holding in some fantasy leagues. For now though, he's just a stash option in really, really deep leagues.

Phillips Re-Ups with Dodgers

Evan Phillips is back with Los Angeles on a one-year deal worth $6.5 million. 

He is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and is expected back in July of this year.

Phillips will be a mid- or late-reliever option upon his return, but would need a few injuries to get close to the closer role. Edwin Diaz has that role locked up, and Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol are other good relief options.

If Phillips isn't closing games, he will only be worth fantasy ownership in really deep leagues, and that's only if he's pitching well upon his return. He's a name to keep in mind if the LA bullpen is decimated by injuries.