Blue Jays All-Star predicted to leave Toronto for Mets reunion

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JULY 10: The New York Mets logo on a bat weight during game two of a double header against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

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By Jackson Roberts

Contributing Sports Writer

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He's become something of a forgotten free agent in this year's class, but Chris Bassitt still has a lot to offer.

Entering his age-37 season, Bassitt probably can't be expected to make any more All-Star teams. But he's made at least 30 starts and pitched at least 170 innings in each of the last four years, posting a 3.77 ERA in that time frame.

Bassitt spent the last three seasons as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. But the year before that, he earned a three-year, $63 million contract with Toronto by performing well as a member of the New York Mets.

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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 10: The New York Mets logo on a bat weight during game two of a double header against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

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On Monday, SNY's Anthony McCarron predicted that the Mets would broker a reunion with Bassitt this winter, as spring training is drawing near and New York still needs some reliable rotation arms to ensure they won't overtax the bullpen this year.

"You still have hard feelings over Chris Bassitt’s poor outing for the Mets in Game 3 of the 2022 Wild Card Series against the Padres? Get over it," McCarron wrote. "He can help the Mets now and exudes a toughness that, frankly, the current group could use.

"Bassitt pitched brilliantly out of the bullpen for Toronto last October (1.04 ERA in seven games) and provided reliable innings as a starter in three years there. Teams love versatility! So the Mets sign him as a hybrid pitcher."

The Mets' current rotation is a messy combination of veterans with injury concerns and youngsters like Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong, who are expected to become fixtures of the squad eventually, but might not be trustworthy right away. Bassitt could step into that mix and provide stability, the same way he did in Toronto when others were struggling or getting hurt around him.

It would be great to have the flexibility to kick Bassitt to the bullpen in October, but the Mets learned this year that they shouldn't be so greedy as to assume they'll make it there unless they truly shore up the rotation.