Free Agent Profile: Chris Bassitt, SP

Chris Bassitt, SP

Age: 36 (2/22/1989) B/T: R/R

2025 Traditional Stats: 11-9, 3.96 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 170 1/3 IP, 166 SO, 52 BB, 32 G (31 GS)
2025 Advanced Stats: 108 ERA+, 22.6 K%, 7.1 BB %, 4.18 xERA, 4.01 FIP, 3.84 xFIP, 2.4 fWAR, 2.1 bWAR

Rundown

Chris Bassitt turned in another solid year in the middle of Toronto’s rotation, finishing second on the team in innings pitched while topping 30 starts for the third season in a row. In his three years with the Blue Jays, Bassitt’s 95 starts were fifth in MLB, and his 541 1/3 innings pitched were ninth.

The 11-year veteran may be starting to show his age. The average velocity on his fastball was down to a career-low 91.4 mph. That was in the 12th percentile leaguewide, per Baseball Savant. Bassitt’s career average velocity for the pitch is 93.3 mph, and a decade ago, it was 94.5 mph when he was dealing for the Athletics.

But there were little, if any, clues that Bassitt was on the downside of his career when it came to performance. That same Baseball Savant page shows batters’ average exit velocity against him at 87.7 mph and a hard-hit percentage of 36.6%, placing Bassitt in the 85th and 80th percentiles for those categories, respectively.

Plus, his ERA, WHIP, xERA (4.18) and xFIP (3.84) all improved a bit from 2024. Bassitt’s strikeout and walk percentages were in line with his career averages, though his home run percentage was up a tick to 3.0 from a career 2.6 mark.

One of his best outings of the year was on April 5, when he struck out nine Mets over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. (The Mets fought back from a 2-0 deficit against the Toronto bullpen, winning on a Francisco Lindor walk-off sacrifice fly).

He made his final regular-season start on September 18 before being placed on the injured list with lower back inflammation. He missed the Division Series but returned to throw 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen in the ALCS and World Series. The one run he gave up was crucial, however, coming in the sixth inning of Game 7 against the Dodgers.

“I hope I have another chance with this group,” he said, his voice cracking, in the locker room after Game 7. “I really do. I love this room. I love these guys. You never know, but I would love to have another shot with this group.”

Contract

MLB Trade Rumors predicts a two-year, $38 million deal for Bassitt. The website ranks him as the ninth-best free agent starting pitcher on the market, right between Shota Imanaga and Merrill Kelly. Bassitt is coming off a three-year, $63 million contract with the Blue Jays that he signed after his one year with the Mets.

He went 15-9 with a 3.42 ERA when he made 30 starts for New York in 2022. The Mets extended Bassitt the qualifying offer that offseason, and when the Blue Jays signed him, the Mets were awarded a fourth-round draft pick. The Mets used the pick on RHP Austin Troesser, who has pitched to a 4.29 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 65 minor-league innings.

Recommendation: Stay Away

Bassitt’s 170 1/3 innings pitched would have led the Mets, and I expect him to have another fine season. But I don’t think New York needs more mid-rotation arms. As it stands now, there are at least seven potential candidates for five or six spots in the rotation.

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