Baltimore Orioles finding out what Toronto Blue Jays already knew about Chris Bassitt
Photo credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
It’s been a rough start to the season for former Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt.
Once a steady and reliable presence in the rotation for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chris Bassitt has struggled mightily since joining the Baltimore Orioles.
Over his first five starts, the veteran right-hander owns a 1–2 record with a 6.75 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP, surrendering 16 earned runs on 31 hits. He’s also issued 13 walks while recording just 10 strikeouts across 21.1 innings.
His most recent outing offered only slight relief. Against the Kansas City Royals, Bassitt allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks over 5.1 innings, striking out three.
It wasn’t a great performance, but it was enough to secure his first win in Baltimore, and to prevent his early-season numbers from looking even worse.
In an interview with the Baltimore Banner's Andy Kostka, Bassitt talked about his terrible start to the season calling himself a liability right now.
Chris Bassitt had a blunt self-analysis for the start of his Orioles career: “I’m usually an asset, and right now I’m a liability. I’ve got to figure out how to be more consistent and how to eat innings — and not just eat innings, but eat quality innings.”
Did Toronto make the right call by letting Chris Bassitt walk?
Given his slow start, it raises the question of whether Toronto made the right call by parting ways with the 37-year-old during the offseason.
Bassitt spent three seasons with the Blue Jays, where he played a significant role in keeping the team competitive.
Over that span, he logged 541 1/3 innings with a 3.89 ERA and a 4.13 FIP, consistently serving as a dependable arm in the rotation.
His debut season in 2023 was especially strong.
He tied for the American League lead with 33 starts and topped the league in both batters faced (826) and wins (16), quickly proving his value after arriving from the New York Mets.
While Bassitt delivered plenty of positives, his time in Toronto wasn’t without challenges.
There were stretches of inconsistency, along with injuries and setbacks that impacted his performance.
The 2024 campaign, in particular, marked his most difficult year with the club, as he finished 10–14 and nearly matched his previous season’s runs allowed despite pitching fewer innings.
Blue Jays front office appeared ready to move from Bassitt as soon as the 2025 season was over
.The 2025–26 offseason brought notable changes as the organization looked to reshape its rotation and replace Bassitt’s contributions.
One such move was the addition of Max Scherzer, a more cost-effective option.
The Blue Jays will lean hard on on Kevin Gausman this year, and with the additions of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, a Bassitt reunion was redundant.
The Blue Jays are also banking on improved health from other starters like Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber to strengthen the staff as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, Baltimore seems committed to giving Bassitt a defined role in its rotation, something that may not have been as clear in Toronto.
Still, his early results suggest there’s work to be done.
For Bassitt, his three-year run north of the border comes to a close as a largely productive chapter, even if his next one is off to a rocky beginning.
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