The Toronto Blue Jays added a significant piece to their starting rotation on Monday. According to ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan, Chris Bassitt and the team agreed on a three-year, $63 million deal. The contract includes a no-trade clause where Bassitt can specify eight teams per year to which he cannot be traded. The completion of the trade will come pending a physical.
BREAKING: Right-hander Chris Bassitt and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a three-year, $63 million contract, pending physical, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Story on Toronto making a big move and adding to its rotation, free at ESPN: https://t.co/aoqDXD69gp
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 12, 2022
Bassitt is coming off a great season with the New York Mets. The right-hander was fifth in the National League with 15 wins while putting up a 3.42 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts in 181.2 innings. Bassitt opted out of his contract in November after just one year in New York and elected to test free agency.
The 33-year-old was an All-Star in 2021 with the Oakland Athletics and went 12-4 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 159 strikeouts in 157.1 innings. He sports a 46-34 career mark to go along with a 3.45 ERA and WHIP of 1.20.
The Jays now sport one of the best rotations in the American League, with Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman, and Jose Berrios starting alongside Bassitt.
FanDuel Sportsbook has Toronto with the eighth-shortest odds to win the World Series at +1500.
