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Chris Bassitt will not be returning to the Blue Jays, instead signing a deal with the Orioles.
The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to several starters on the free agent market this offseason. The need for reliable innings became more apparent with the revelation that Bowden Francis would miss the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Shane Bieber is also expected to start the season on the 15-day injured list.
Bringing back the consistent production of Chris Bassitt was rumored multiple times over the winter, but Toronto will ultimately see him depart to another club. Not only are the Blue Jays missing out on Bassitt’s services, but they’ll also have to face him frequently next season. The 36-year-old right-hander is signing with the Baltimore Orioles, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. It’s a one-year, $18 million agreement.
Passan adds that the deal includes a $3 million signing bonus, plus the opportunity to earn $500,000 in incentives if he reaches 27 starts. As Blue Jays fans know, Bassitt is a near lock to reach that threshold. He started at least 31 games in all three seasons with the team.
Toronto Blue Jays Will Miss Consistent Presence of Chris Bassitt
The veteran hurler signed a three-year, $63 million deal with Toronto ahead of the 2023 season. He immediately stepped into a workhorse role, tossing a career-high 200 innings. Bassitt led the American League with 33 starts that year. He capped off the season with a dominant 12-strikeout performance against another divisional rival, the New York Yankees.
Bassitt provided another 31 starts in 2024, though his production slipped a bit. He posted an ERA above 4.00 for the first time since 2016. Bassitt’s struggles were mostly confined to a nightmarish July that saw him cede 20 earned runs in 25.2 innings.
As he reached his late 30s, Bassitt’s heater lost a tick last season. The fastball averaged less than 92 mph for the first time in his career. The crafty righty didn’t let the declining velocity hold him back, though. Relying on an eight-pitch mix, Bassitt was able get his ERA back under 4.00 for the 2025 season. He also cleaned up some control issues that had led to an uncharacteristic 9.2% walk rate in 2024.
Blue Jays faithful will remember Bassitt for his role in the run to the World Series. Toronto opted to use the veteran as a reliever, something he had done just 14 times in his 11-year career. Bassitt was unfazed by the change. He ripped off six straight scoreless outings to begin the postseason. Bassitt wouldn’t be scored upon until Game 7 of the World Series, when Mookie Betts crossed the plate on a Tommy Edman sacrifice fly. Bassitt wrapped up the playoffs with a 1.04 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings.
Rotation Still in Need of Depth
Losing Bassitt to the Orioles comes at a difficult time, considering Spring Training opened with the unfortunate news about Francis and Bieber. Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease are the pillars of the rotation, but the group thins out from there.
The Bassitt departure is a positive development for Jose Berrios, who was left off the postseason roster last year. It also secures the spots for top prospect Trey Yesavage and NPB import Cody Ponce. Eric Lauer remains in the mix, though he’s likely ticketed for a long relief role. Former top prospect Ricky Tiedemann is being stretched out, but isn’t ready to help out as a starter. There aren’t many candidates to step in if an injury occurs among the current pitching staff.
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