Report: Blue Jays Sign Bassitt To $63M Deal
The Blue Jays finally got their guy.
Toronto reached an agreement Monday with free-agent starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on a three-year, $63-million pact, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal is pending a physical and has yet to be made official.
The right-hander was tendered a qualifying offer by the Mets, meaning the Jays will forfeit their second-highest draft pick in 2023 and have $500,000 reduced from their international signing bonus pool.
Bassitt, 33, was one of the lone experienced starting pitchers remaining in free agency and will slot in nicely behind Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman in the Blue Jays rotation.
Given some of the lucrative deals handed out this winter, Bassitt's signing in Toronto comes at a decent price tag for both pitcher and club. The contract reportedly carries an average annual value of $21 million, paying Bassitt through 2025, his age-36 season.
The right-hander has been very steady in his eight-year career but seems to have found his groove lately. Over the last three years, Bassitt has logged a 3.13 ERA (128 ERA+) and a 7.7 H/9 while striking out 8.5 batters per nine. He's done a good job of eating innings as he's gotten older, too, notably tossing a career-high 181.2 frames in 2022 with the Mets.
Step one in the Blue Jays' offseason plan is now complete, as Bassitt is an excellent anchor in the back end of Toronto's rotation. The next step is for the club to pursue an outfielder. Bryan Reynolds of the Pirates is one option, though the asking price by Pittsburgh is reportedly quite high.
