Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Key Points:

The Braves are looking to add a veteran pitcher, directly from President Alex Anthopoulos  
Chris Bassitt, at 37 years old, was viewed as the “Guts of the Blue Jays Locker Room” in 2025.
Outside of Framber Valdez, Bassitt is the most reliable pitcher available.

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Chris Bassitt feels like the type of pitcher who would quietly make the Atlanta Braves’ rotation even more dangerous, which should elevate this team that was 76-86 in 2025. 

Slotting him alongside Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo López would give Atlanta a blend of power arms and veteran stability that few teams in baseball could match. 

On the Blue Jays side, they have been ridiculed for potentially losing both Max Scherzer and Bassitt because of how their veteran leadership helped shape the AL Champions personality and locker room. Bassitt was named “The Guts of the Blue Jays Locker Room.”

Let’s break down exactly why the Braves need to make Bassitt a priority in MLB Free Agency before he gets scooped up.

*Prediction*

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“We’ve explored the starting rotation, adding and getting some type of starter, whether that’s a trade or signing. We’d like for it to be someone impactful, someone we think can start a playoff game,” Anthopoulos said.

This quote is key because it is coming directly from the horse’s mouth that the Braves are actively looking for a veteran with playoff experience, and what better way than to find a guy who was just in the World Series in 2025.

What makes Bassitt such an attractive fit is his reliability. Durability has long been his trademark, and that has only continued as he has aged. He has made at least 30 starts in each of the past four seasons and ranks sixth in all of Major League Baseball in innings pitched since 2022, with 723.

Why The Fit Makes Sense

If Bassitt were to replicate his most recent production with the Blue Jays—170 1/3 innings and a 3.96 ERA, he would provide exactly what Atlanta needs: innings, consistency, and veteran presence.

With Sale, Strider, and Schwellenbach all returning from or managing recent injury concerns, having a proven workhorse like Bassitt could be the difference between simply having a talented rotation and having a championship-caliber one.

Chris Bassitt Stats

In his age-36 season, he posted a 3.96 ERA and 4.01 FIP across 32 appearances and 170.1 innings. Bassitt finished his three-year contract with the Blue Jays in the World Series.

Potential Contract

Spotrac currently projects Bassitt’s market value at $15.6 million AAV. JustBaseball.com projects Bassitt’s Contract around 1-2 years, around $10-16 million per season. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projects he could receive a two-year, $34 million contract with an AAV of $17 million. 

Through all of these projections, the estimated amount seems to be hovering from $15-$17 million per season, and a shorter length because of Bassitt’s age.