Chris Bassitt has his eyes set on Toronto Blue Jays history Monday night as he looks to set the franchise shutout streak record.

Dating back four starts, Bassitt has gone 27.0 straight innings without allowing a single run. He trails only two Jays pitchers: Rogers Clemens, who went 33.0 IP without allowing a run and Dave Steib, who between 1988-89 threw 34.0 straight scoreless innings.

Simply put: Bassitt has been on fire. In his last three starts alone, he’s thrown 23.0 innings allowing just nine hits and seven walks fanning 20 batters. Heading into these three games, Bassitt had struggled early in his tenure in Toronto with a 5.18 ERA but after this recent run, that number has plummeted to 3.05 —  the lowest in the Jays’ rotation.

Bassitt finding his game as the third man in the rotation has been huge for the Jays given Alek Manoah’s struggles and he’s starting to show why he earned that three-year deal.

That’s not the only big storyline heading into tonight as Kevin Kiermaier makes his return to the top after signing a one-year deal in Toronto. It’s safe to say that deal has already paid off dividends as he has not only been absolutely electric in center field, but his bat has been tremendous, too.

He’s slashing .317/.372/.492 in 138 plate appearances this season and his 141 OPS+ is tied for second on the Jays with Bo Bichette trailing only Matt Chapman.

First pitch: 6:40 p.m. EST

Weather: None! The Jays are at the Trop.

Toronto Blue Jays: 25-22, 8.5 GB, 2.5 WCGB. +7 DIFF.

Tampa Bay Rays: 34-14, – GB, – WCGB. +124 DIFF.

Moneyline: TOR -102; TB -105.

TOR: Chris Bassitt RHP — 5-2, 3.05 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 1.018 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, 0.9 WAR.

TBR: Trevor Kelley RHP — 0-1, 7.50 ERA, 8.46 FIP, 1.333 WHIP, 3.0 K/9, -.02 WAR.

Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about the Jays’ latest series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

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