Some veteran starting pitchers would be very upset by not getting the opportunity to be part of a World Series rotation, but Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt is finding a way to thrive in unfamiliar territory.

And that development has been absolutely massive for the Blue Jays as they’ve navigated the postseason, and especially the World Series.

Bassitt is an 11-year MLB veteran, a former All-Star, and a starting pitcher who has been as steady and reliable as they come over the last number of years. The 3-year, 63 million dollar deal he signed ahead of the 2023 season has been worth every penny for a lot of reasons, but perhaps never more than now, which is an odd thing to say when he’s not even pitching in his familiar role. However, thanks to a combination of factors, including a late-season back injury for the veteran starter and the emergence of Trey Yesavage as a folk hero for the Blue Jays, Bassitt found himself on the outside looking in when it came to a starting opportunity.

While he wasn’t included on the roster for the ALDS round against the Yankees, Bassitt returned for the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners and has been part of a bullpen that has found a way to get this team just two wins away from a World Series title.

His role started pretty modestly at first, likely with the idea that he could serve as a depth arm that could give them length if one of their starters ran into early trouble. The 36-year-old has certainly helped in that regard, but as time has gone on, he’s been earning more trust as a reliever from John Schneider and Pete Walker, and he’s starting to find himself pitching in more important moments.

That makes a lot of sense when you consider that the Ohio native has made five playoff appearances covering 6 2/3 innings, and he has yet to allow a run. In fact, he gave up his first HIT of the post-season on Tuesday during his important six-out appearance in Game 4, and he’s thrown in eight strikeouts and just one walk for good measure.

At a time when the Blue Jays’ bullpen has been getting some inconsistent performances from some of their depth pieces, Bassitt’s emergence as a legitimate relief option has been a tremendous asset for the coaching staff.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him play an important part in what’s left of this series, depending on how his body responds to a different routine. The veteran has pretty limited relief experience throughout his big league career, and Tuesday night marked the first time that he’s ever pitched in back-to-back games at the big league level. I wondered if he would pitch a third inning in Game 4 to finish off the Dodgers and save the rest of the bullpen, but Schneider elected to take him out in favour of Louis Varland in the ninth. As a result, I can’t help but wonder if they made that decision so that the possibility of Bassitt being available on Wednesday night could be more realistic.

Schneider infamously said, “Bassitt does weird well” back when he was added to the ALCS roster, and so far, that’s proven to be more than true. It’s been a bit of an unlikely emergence, but he’s made it clear that he’s ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help the Blue Jays win a World Series championship, and he’s been doing just that.

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