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Evaluating former Blue Jay Chris Bassitt’s early run with the Orioles
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Photo credit: © Brad Mills-Imagn Images
Tyson Shushkewich
May 19, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: May 19, 2026, 08:39 EDT
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This past offseason, right-hander Chris Bassitt became a free agent after spending three years North of the border with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Bassitt was one of the key signings of the 2022/2023 offseason for Toronto, and the veteran arm posted a 3.89 ERA and a 4.13 FIP across 541 1/3 innings and 96 outings. The Ohio product was a key figure in the Jays’ rotation from the 2023 season on, and the Jays ended up pivoting to Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer this past winter instead of bringing Bassitt back on board.
The ‘Hound Dog’ ended up finding a one-year deal in the familiar confines of the Baltimore Orioles, signing a contract worth $18.5 million for the 2026 season. The Orioles had a strong offseason on the free agent front, signing Bassitt, Pete Alonso, and Ryan Helsley while trading for Shane Baz and Taylor Ward to bolster the big league staff.
So far with the Orioles, Bassitt has pitched to mixed results across 43 innings.
The 37-year-old got off to a rough start, surrendering 10 earned runs through two starts and 6 1/3 innings against the Texas Rangers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bassitt struggled with his command during both outings, allowing six free passes and hitting three batters collectively, while also striking out just three.
Bassitt bounced back strongly against the San Francisco Giants, allowing seven hits through 4 2/3 innings but limiting the damage to just one earned run and one walk, dropping his ERA to 9.00 on the season. The right-hander would follow that outing with five scoreless innings against the Guardians, but grinded through the start thanks to four walks.
The Orioles starter has been riding the rollercoaster the rest of the way, with Bassitt mixing in a good start with a bad start over his next five outings.
Bassitt’s Last Five Starts
RkDateOppResultInngsIPHRERHRBBIBBSOHBPERAFIPPitBAbip
5
2026-04-22
KCR
W, 8-6
GS-6
5.1
8
5
5
2
2
0
3
0
6.75
6.24
88
.333
6
2026-04-30 (1)
HOU
W, 10-3
GS-7
6.2
7
1
1
0
1
0
7
0
5.46
5.10
94
.368
7
2026-05-05
MIA
W, 9-7
GS-4
4.0
6
4
4
0
3
0
3
2
5.91
5.13
76
.462
8
2026-05-10
ATH
W, 2-1
2-7
6.0
4
1
1
0
1
0
6
1
5.21
4.65
94
.267
9
2026-05-16
WSN
L, 3-13
GS-5
5.0
6
4
4
1
1
0
4
1
5.44
4.72
82
.313
The Orioles even went to an opener ahead of Bassitt’s start against the Athletics, which turned into a fruitful endeavour considering he tossed six innings of one-run ball with just one walk.
Turning to the metrics, Bassitt is finding a ton of success with his breaking pitches, but the fastball and offspeed pitches are struggling to catch up.
His curveball and sweeper own a collective +3 pitching run value, with his curveball holding opponents to a .278 wOBA and a 30.2% whiff rate on 200 pitches (25.5% usage). His sweeper is used at a much lower rate (6.9%), but he’s finding success with the offering to the tune of a .111 SLG, .160 wOBA, and a 20.0% K rate.
His sinker has been abysmal in 2026, generating a -5 pitching run value while hitters have been teeing off on his main pitch. Opponents own a .380 average, .507 SLG, .432 wOBA, and a 19% PutAway rate. His cutter is not faring much better (.401 wOBA and a .417 xSLG), and his changeup is generating a strong 27.3% whiff rate, but he’s been struggling to locate the pitch. When he misses his spots with the offspeed, opponents hit it hard (83.3%) and have generated a .404 xBA.
Across the board, Bassitt’s statcast board is seeing a lot of blue. He ranks in the tenth percentile or lower in numerous categories, including xBA (.290), chase % (23.9), K% (14.9), pitching run value (-8), and fastball run value (-10). Where he ranks well is his breaking run value (+3 / 88th percentile) and barrel % (3.4 / 91st percentile). Opponents are not finding the barrel to the ball, but they are still finding ways to get on base, whether it’s the walks or soft contact. He’s seen his BB/9 climb to a 4.0 mark, which would be a career high across a full season, and Bassitt’s also produced a dramatic decline in K/9 to a 6.3 mark. Compared to all MLB pitchers with 40+ IP this season, Bassitt boasts the sixth-worst BABIP (.352) and ranks 16th with his 5.44 ERA.
In particular, Bassitt has struggled more on the road this season compared to at home with a similar amount of innings pitched despite having one fewer outing at Camden Yards.
Bassitt’s Home vs. Away – Game Level
SplitGABRH2B3BHRBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSBAbip
Home
4
85
8
24
2
0
0
7
18
.282
.344
.306
.650
.348
Away
5
88
19
30
6
0
4
12
12
.341
.443
.545
.989
.356
Bassitt’s Home vs. Away – Pitching
SplitWLERAGGSIPHRERHRBBIBBSOWHIPSO9
Home
2
1
2.91
4
3
21.2
24
8
7
0
7
0
18
1.431
7.5
Away
1
2
8.02
5
5
21.1
30
19
19
4
12
0
12
1.969
5.1
There is still 2/3 of the season left for Bassitt to turn things around with his new squad, but things got off to a rocky start for the right-hander and his new club. He’s been struggling to find consistency on the mound, tossing a good start but then mixing in a bad start to level the playing field back to the median.
The Jays will face the Orioles for a four-game series at the end of May, and the chances of Bassitt facing off against his former team are not likely if the club keeps the current rotation schedule. He last pitched against the Nationals on May 16th, and his next two outings have him pencilled in for May/22 (Tigers) and May 27th (Rays), which is the game just before the Orioles welcome the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

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