The Toronto Blue Jays’ Opening Day roster is set to kick off the 2026 season, and for the first time in three seasons, they will be without pitcher Chris Bassitt. After an offseason filled with adding pitching in the form of Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and lastly, Max Scherzer, the Jays let Bassitt walk in free agency.

Will the club regret letting Bassitt walk? Will they miss what the right-hander brought to the table?

The 11-year Major League veteran spent three seasons with the Blue Jays and was a key part of the team’s competitiveness. He threw 541 1/3 innings in Toronto, posting a 3.89 ERA and a 4.13 FIP.

Bassitt played a major role in the starting rotation. In 2023, his first season with Toronto, he sat tied for the AL lead in games started with 33 and led the AL in batters faced (826) and wins (16).

Bassitt provided plenty of positive contributions to the pitching staff. He arrived as a high-quality starter from the New York Mets and quickly fit into Toronto’s pitching plans. However, as time went on, he began to face some challenges.

There were multiple instances where Bassitt struggled, leading to stretches of inconsistency on the mound. Injuries and setbacks also played a role. The 2024 season was his toughest in Toronto, as he posted a 10–14 record while allowing just one run shy of his previous season with 29 fewer innings.

The front office likely had a few reasons to move on from the right-hander, and the 2025–26 offseason was significant for the club, as they made moves to replace Bassitt’s production in the rotation.

Cody Ponce and Dylan Cease were acquired and are expected to help fill his role, while the team will continue to lean on ace Kevin Gausman. Shane Bieber opting into his deal helps provide some stability to the rotation, and the addition of Max Scherzer is a cheaper option than Bassitt, with the Jays hoping some starters can support a push later this year once they’re healthy and ready to go.

The right-hander ultimately signed a one-year, $18.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, which included a $3 million signing bonus and a $500,000 incentive if he reaches 27 starts.

It seems the Orioles have clear rotation plans for Bassitt—something Toronto did not. The Blue Jays could have explored a different approach, potentially shifting him into a bullpen role where he might have thrived. Shorter outings may have reduced some of the inconsistency while still allowing him to be effective.

We saw his willingness to contribute to relief during the 2025 postseason. The veteran right-hander is a team-first player who brings a strong clubhouse presence and a competitive edge. Having him available for both long and short relief could have been valuable, although Bassitt clearly appeared to have gas left in the tank to be a member of a rotation, which ended up being in Baltimore.

 Overall, it seems the front office did not prioritize retaining him, but his versatility and potential made him worth keeping. The club pivoted to other arms in the open market and let Bassitt walk, ending a fun three-years for the veteran arm suiting up North of the border.

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