Pitcher Chris Bassitt Signs With Blue Jays

Chris Bassitt has signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 33-year-old declined a $19-million qualifying offer with the New York Mets to become a free agent. Toronto will give up its second-highest draft pick in 2023 and $500,000 of international bonus pool money.

Bassitt had a solid season with the Mets posting a 15-9 record, 3.42 ERA, and 167 strikeouts in 181.2 innings. He’ll slot in nicely to a Toronto rotation that lost Ross Stripling to the Giants. Stripling signed a two-year, $25 million deal with San Francisco.

Bassitt will join starting pitchers Kevin Gausman and AL Cy Young finalist in Alek Manoah. If José Berríos can regain his Minnesota form and Yusei Kikuchi can find a way to be more consistent, Toronto could have one of the best starting rotations in baseball next year.