TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement with righty Chris Bassitt on a $63-million, three-year deal pending a physical, bolstering their rotation with one of the top remaining free agents starters, according to an industry source.
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Bassitt, who’ll be 34 on opening day next year, hit the open market after posting a 3.42 ERA in a career-best 181.2 innings across 30 starts for the New York Mets, striking out 167 batters against 49 walks.
His average exit-velocity allowed of 85.7 m.p.h. ranked in the 95th percentile, nearly three m.p.h. below the major-league average, while his hard-hit rate of 32.8 was in the 87th percentile.
The righty turned down a $19.65 million qualifying offer from the Mets, tying him to compensation.
As a penalty for the pending signing, the Blue Jays will forfeit their second-highest pick in the 2023 draft as well as $500,000 in international bonus pool room. Since the Mets exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax threshold last season, they’ll receive a compensatory pick after the fourth round.
Bassitt joins a starting rotation that already included Cy Young Award finalist Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios. His pending addition may rule out the re-signing of Ross Stripling, who is also a free agent after a career year.
The Blue Jays have some uncertainty at the back-end of their rotation, but could cobble together a spot between Yusei Kikuchi, who is still owed $10 million in each of the next two years, Mitch White, who is out of options, and Nate Pearson, pitching in a hybrid role.
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