After making 95 starts in three seasons with the Blue Jays, Chris Bassitt made seven relief appearances in the postseason. Mark Blinch / Getty Images
Desperately in need of starting pitching to improve a rotation that finished last season with a 4.65 ERA, the Baltimore Orioles are in agreement with right-hander Chris Bassitt on a one-year, $18.5 million contract, a league source told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on Wednesday.
The deal also includes $500,000 in incentives.
Bassitt has been a consistent mid-rotation starter over the last five years. He’s made at least 27 starts each season, beginning with his All-Star campaign in 2021, posting a 3.66 ERA over that span. Bassitt ended the 2025 campaign with a 3.96 ERA in 170 1/3 innings for the Toronto Blue Jays, winning at least 10 games for the fifth straight season.
Even as the 36-year-old’s velocity wanes, he survives by sequencing eight pitches to keep hitters off balance. His primary offering remains a sinker, but every other delivery plays off the pitch. Bassitt also flashed the ability to transition to the bullpen, posting a 1.04 ERA in seven short-burst relief appearances during the 2025 postseason. By the time the Blue Jays reached the World Series, Bassitt was the club’s primary set-up man.
In three years with Toronto, Bassitt grew into one of the leaders in the clubhouse. He spearheaded a move to intermingle position groups in the team’s clubhouse ahead of the 2025 season and was a key part of offseason meetings that many players credited with the Jays’ turnaround from 74 wins in 2024 to AL pennant winner in 2025.
Bassitt won’t single-handedly remake a rotation, but he’s shown an adaptability that can enhance a pitching staff in a variety of ways.
Feb 13, 2026
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