Former Blue Jays Star Chris Bassitt Suddenly Standing in Toronto’s Way

This point in the season was likely to come with both teams playing in the same division, but someone might have hoped the stage was set at Rogers Centre, because a standing ovation would definitely come.

Chris Bassitt | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

A divisional clash is set to begin in Maryland on Thursday between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles. Both are riding a hot streak, and both are in the hunt for a way-too-early playoff spot, but there is much more going on between these two ballclubs that isn't quite so surface-level.

Sometimes it is easy to miss when someone is suiting up against their former team, but it is impossible to glance over when it is the starting pitcher. The Orioles are trotting out Chris Bassitt to the hill, an arm that the Jays sure are missing right now.

Bassitt had been with Toronto for the last three seasons prior to becoming a free agent at the end of 2025, but a position logjam was quickly created, and Bassitt looked elsewhere as he wanted to remain a starter.

Chris Bassitt in 5 relief appearances this Postseason:

6.2 IP
1 H
0 ER
1 BB
8 K

The 36-year-old made 31 regular season starts and is dominating out of the bullpen for the Blue Jays in October. pic.twitter.com/HJG310L6Hn

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 29, 2025

As everyone knows, the rotation has been dismantled by injuries as both Patrick Corbin and Kevin Gausman are the only two who haven't been on the injured list this year, knock on wood.

All the Blue Jays can do is tip their caps to the arm that helped the team to its first AL Pennant in more than three decades, then go on and win the game.

Bassitt in 2025 With the Jays

Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) throws a pitch in the ninth inning for game six of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

During the regular months, the veteran was a reliable arm as the organization used him in 32 games, where he posted a sub-4.00 ERA in 170 innings of work. But it wasn't necessarily his poise and ability to limit damage that was most memorable, but what he did during the Jays' historic postseason run.

Bassitt was put into a difficult situation when the playoffs came around, one that some would not have embraced like he did, as his coaching staff asked him to step out of the rotation and into the bullpen.

He embraced this. The man went into the Belly of the Beast that is Dodger Stadium twice and left with three almost perfect innings, as no runs were scored, and only one player got a hit off him.

It is quite easy to get goosebumps just thinking about the performance of a lifetime that Bassitt and the Jays gave the Dodgers last season. It is hard to swallow that he isn't a part of their redemption run.

Regardless, this is baseball, and players often leave a team, but that doesn't make it easy. The Blue Jays offense needs to get going in Game 1 of this four-game stretch, which unfortunately means exploiting their former teammate.