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.
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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