Chris Bassitt has found a new home.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the right-handed pitcher is in agreement with the Baltimore Orioles on a one-year, $18.5 million deal.
Passan adds that Bassitt’s deal includes a $3 million signing bonus and a $500,000 incentive for making 27 starts in 2026.
The 36-year-old hurler spent the past three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, making 95 starts while pitching to a 3.89 earned run average, 1.313 WHIP and 520 strikeouts.
The Toledo, Ohio native was a dependable arm in the middle of Toronto’s rotation during his tenure with the Blue Jays, making at least 30 starts in each of the past three seasons after inking a $67 million deal with the team as a free agent ahead of the 2023 campaign.
In 2023, Bassitt led the American League with 16 wins while recording a 3.60 ERA across 200 innings pitched, earning himself a 10th place finish in Cy Young voting.
The veteran righty shifted over to the bullpen for Toronto’s run to the World Series this past fall, and posted a sparkling a 1.04 ERA and 0.58 WHIP with 10 strikeouts across seven appearances.
Now entering his 12th Major League season, Bassitt owns an 83-65 record with a 3.64 ERA and 1,191 strikeouts for his career in time split between the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, and Blue Jays.
The move continues an offseason overhaul for Baltimore, who come into 2026 looking to rebound from a last place finish in the AL East.
