The Toronto Blue Jays may not be done adding to their pitching staff.
Toronto has been active this offseason, and its moves have been focused on adding pitching. The Blue Jays signed starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, while Toronto signed reliever Tyler Rogers.
Although Toronto has been focused on adding a bat, the Blue Jays could still look to add more depth to their pitching staff. And, MLB insider Jim Bowden links Toronto to a reunion with Chris Bassitt.
“The Padres are looking for an inexpensive starter on a shorter-term deal and Bassitt is likely to land a short-term deal. He proved with Toronto that he has something left in the tank; he can help the Padres be contenders,” Bowden wrote. “If the O’s miss on the other starters, I can see them making a late play for Bassitt. I also think it’s possible he could return to Toronto to give them starting pitching depth.”
Toronto bringing back Bassitt would be a bit of a surprise, as the Blue Jays’ rotation appears to be full. The Blue Jays have Kevin Gausman, Cease, Shane Bieber, Ponce, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios in the rotation.
So, Toronto already has an excess of starting pitchers, so bringing back Bassitt would be a surprise. But, with Bieber’s health in question, as well as Berrios being a potential trade chip, perhaps if Berrios does get moved, it opens the door for Bassitt to return.
Blue Jays Not Ruling Out Reunion With Bassitt
Bassitt was an important leader in Toronto’s clubhouse and a key pitcher in the playoffs.
Toronto moved Bassitt to the bullpen in the playoffs, and he was a high-leverage reliever for the Blue Jays. Although Bassitt will have some options in free agency, Blue Jays insiders Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported that the team could look to bring him back.
“The 36-year-old Bassitt was an essential part of the club’s rebound from worst to first last season and still wants to start, despite some intriguing post-season work out of the bullpen,” Nicholson-Smith and Davidi reported.
“He’s believed to have enough interest from other clubs to find such an opportunity. At the same time, he’s beloved within the Toronto clubhouse so if he wanted to return later in the off-season and there was a need, it likely wouldn’t take much to start a serious discussion.”
Bassitt completed his three-year, $63 million deal with the Blue Jays.
Bassitt Wants to Return to Blue Jays
Following the Blue Jays’ loss in Game 7 of the World Series, Bassitt said he would like to return.
Bassitt said he enjoyed playing with this team and had hoped that wasn’t his final time.
“I hope I have another chance with this group, I really do,” Bassitt said after the Game 7 loss. … “I love these guys … it’s hard to replicate true love. You can try to replicate this. A lot of people will try, but it’s not really possible.”
Bassitt went 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 32 games last season. In the playoffs, he had a 1.04 ERA in 7 games out of the bullpen.
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