Right Agent Chris Bassett signs a three-year, $63 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a major league source said. the athlete. Here’s what you need to know:
- Bassett, 33, struck out a career-high 181 2/3 innings pitched in 2022 with the Mets (his previous high was 157 1/3 in 2021 with Oakland).
- The shooter ranks seventh in the Athletic Aaron Jaliman’s list of novice pitchers.
- Bassett was a rock of the rotation all season—until two poor starts in his two biggest starts, the shortstop start against the Braves in the regular season finale and the shortstop start against the Padres in the playoffs.
- His deal with Toronto includes a limited no-trade clause, sources say. Bassett can designate eight teams a year that cannot be traded.
Scout report
Since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2018, Bassett has quietly been one of the best starters in MLB, posting a 3.29 ERA in 594 innings pitched. Over the course of that span, his 124+ ERA ranks 19th among pitchers with 75+ starts, sandwiched between Zach Wheeler (127) and Louis Castillo (123).
Bassitt lacks the high-end stuff, instead relying on a deep-pitch mix led by a 92-94 mph sinker to generate grounds while his four-pitch fastball, cutter, slider, and bender all miss a fair amount at bat. Walk and strike rates are good, but not great, but he limits damage by how hard he tries, allowing less than one person per nine innings pitched each of the past three seasons.
After being traded from the A’s to the Mets after the lockout, Bassett racked up career highs with 30 starts and nearly 182 innings (he totaled only 191 major league innings in his twenties). Showing his approach still works off the dimensions of an Oakland pitcher.
Straddling the line between No. 2 player and starter in the middle of the rotation, Bassett is older than his resume suggests, but few pitchers have been consistently competent over the past five seasons.
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(Photo: Vincent Carchita/USA TODAY Sports)
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