Blue Jays Could Entertain Trading Chris Bassitt if Season Goes South

If the Toronto Blue Jays struggle, should they trade Chris Bassitt?

May 8, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) throws in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It has been a season filled with ups and downs for the Toronto Blue Jays, who have struggled with consistency so far.

Coming into the year, hopes were high.

By all accounts, they had a strong winter by making some notable new additions, but so far, the results have been mixed.

With the team hovering around the .500 mark, this campaign could still go in a couple of different directions.

If some underperforming players start to get going, the American League is fairly weak and the Blue Jays could find itself in the playoff hunt. However, things could go in the other direction, and that could result in them falling out of contention.

With the team being so inconsistent early on, it has been a challenge to figure them out.

What Should Toronto Do at the Deadline?

Buster Olney of ESPN (subscription required) recently wrote about the possibility of Toronto looking to move veteran pitcher Chris Bassitt if the season doesn’t turn around.

“Now that they've signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to anchor their team for a long time, they could look at the best ways to shape a future around him, and weigh offers for players such as Chris Bassitt.”

Even though the outlook in 2025 is unpredictable for this team, they did accomplish the most important thing their franchise needed to do by signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term deal.

Keeping Guerrero will give the Blue Jays the superstar and the building block this organization needs. However, now they have to figure out the best way to surround him with talent and get the most out of his tenure in Toronto.

If the team does struggle before the trade deadline and falls out of contention, moving a veteran like Bassitt, who is on the final year of his contract, makes sense.

This season, the right-hander has pitched well, totaling a 3-2 record and 3.35 ERA. There are going to be plenty of contenders looking for help in the starting rotation department, and Bassitt might be able to bring back a sizeable haul for Toronto.

However, this is still a team that wants to contend this year. Some injuries and poor performances from new players have hurt them to begin the campaign, but there is reason to believe that once the lineup gets going, they can compete.

Furthermore, with a couple of key free agents at the end of the season, it will be interesting to monitor what the plan for the franchise going forward will be.