MLB Transaction Roundup: Scherzer Back in Toronto, Veteran Bats Signed

Spring training is underway, but MLB teams are still adding to their rosters. Here, we will discuss some of the latest transactions.

We will focus on the more notable ones, going over real-world and fantasy baseball implications of each deal.

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Scherzer Back in Toronto

The biggest name who recently signed was Max Scherzer. He's back in Toronto on a one-year deal. It's worth $3 million, but he could earn up to $10 million through incentives.

Scherzer was with the Blue Jays in 2025, making 17 starts. He was 5-5 with a 5.19 earned run average. Over 85 innings, he struck out 82 batters.

Of course, his career has been a great one. He owns a 3.22 career ERA over 2,963 innings, and has struck out 3,489 batters along the way.

He's on the back nine of his career, but at age 41 is still earning contracts. Scherzer shouldn't be expected to make a season's worth of starts, but he could help out here and there throughout the year.

Scherzer is projected to be the No. 6 starting pitcher in Toronto. Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and Cody Ponce are the other projected starters. Eric Lauer is another rotation option, but is the projected long reliever now.

Shane Bieber, Jake Bloss and Bowden Francis are other starting pitching options, but are all injured right now. Only Francis is on the 60-day injured list.

There's even more starting pitching talent projected to open the year in the minor leagues, so starting pitching is a plus for a Toronto team hoping to win it all in 2026. Scherzer adds yet another arm to the mix, and strengthens that group, while also providing a veteran voice/presence.

For as many starts as Scherzer makes in 2026, he'll be a better deep-league option, at least at the start of the season. He could work into standard leagues with some good results on the mound, but if the Blue Jays indeed go with a six-man rotation, then the fantasy outlooks for each hurler are hurt a little bit.

Keep that in mind when thinking about Scherzer, or any of the other five projected starting pitchers for Toronto as you put together your fantasy teams for 2026.

Estrada Joins Orioles

Thairo Estrada signed a minor league deal with Baltimore. It makes sense, as Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg are infielders battling injuries right now.

Even down Holliday and Westburg, Estrada is not projected to make the big league team to open the 2026 season. That could change if he has good results in spring training.

The 30-year-old Estrada has played second base primarily in his seven-year career. He also has played at third base, shortstop and all three outfield spots, so he could help out all over the place.

He owns a career .251 average and .299 on-base percentage. Estrada has a little pop and speed to burn, but is more a depth option, and has been the past two years.

Estrada played in just 39 games in 2025 for the Rockies, posting a .253 average and .285 OBP. He had nine doubles and three home runs among his 39 total hits, while also tallying 21 RBIs, 14 runs scored, a stolen base, six walks and 26 strikeouts.

Estrada is more of an insurance policy in Baltimore in case Holliday and Westburg are plagued all season by injuries. Blaze Alexander is projected to replace Holliday at second base, while Coby Mayo is the projected starter at third base for Westburg.

Jeremiah Jackson is another infield option until those guys are healthy, but Estrada could be next up after him. Estrada isn't worth rostering outside really, really deep leagues, but if he's given an opportunity, he could emerge as a fantasy asset for some.

This is more of a depth move to protect the Orioles in case of several injuries, and it doesn't hold a ton of fantasy value right now.

Yankees Add Outfielder

Randal Grichuk signed a minor league deal with the Yankees.

The 34-year-old outfielder has 12 years of MLB experience. Grichuk owns a career .251 average and .298 OBP. He has 212 career homers, and doesn't offer a ton of stolen base upside.

In 113 games with Arizona and Kansas City last season, Grichuk had a .228 average and .273 OBP. He had 62 total hits, including 18 doubles and nine homers. Grichuk added 27 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 17 walks and 61 strikeouts.

He's projected to open the year in the minor leagues, as New York is set in the outfield with Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger. Amed Rosario and Oswaldo Cabrera are other outfield bench options and Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez are projected minor league outfielders, but Grichuk is probably in the next group of options.

Grichuk is another depth signing in case the Yankees deal with a bunch of injuries in the outfield. He's likely just to be a depth option if he is in the big leagues, but with some pop in that bat, he could become a fantasy asset with even a little playing time, so don't write him off.

The transaction looks like a nothing-burger in fantasy baseball for now, but it could change in a hurry.