Chris Bassitt Blanks Marlins In Grapefruit League Debut With Mets

JUPITER -- For the first time since getting traded to the Mets on March 12, Chris Bassitt took the mound in Grapefruit League action and was spotless on Tuesday night.

Bassitt threw 4.2 scoreless innings in a 10-0 route of the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium on a warm 79 degree evening. The right-hander allowed just four hits, while striking out three batters and did not issue a walk.

Bassitt was efficient in this outing, throwing 48 of his 69 pitches for strikes. He also showed off his ability to change-speeds, striking out two batters with his 72 mph curveball.

Bassitt's only difficult inning came in the fourth when he found himself in a second-and-third situation with only one out. But the righty buckled down to strikeout the next hitter with a four-seam fastball, before inducing an inning-ending grounder to escape trouble.

After his start was over, Bassitt described his mentality during this fourth-inning jam by citing a philosophy from one of the best pitchers of all-time.

“Don’t throw harder, just execute,” Bassitt said. “I think Greg Maddux said that? It freed me up big time.”

Bassitt has now tossed 8.2 shutout innings across two outings in camp, including his four-inning scoreless affair in a minor league start last week. But the 33-year-old isn't reading too much into results at this point and is instead focused on staying healthy, which he has been able to do so far.

“The results sound good, but … I don’t really care about it,” Bassitt said. “I’m not really building much of anything with that.”

Bassitt wouldn't require much run support in this game, but that didn't stop the Mets' bats from exploding against the Marlins' pitching staff.

New York's offense has been highly active during exhibition play, which remained the case in their latest contest. The Mets racked up 10 runs, including Francisco Lindor's fourth home run of the spring, a two-run blast in the third inning. Lindor went 2-for-2 with four RBI on the night, as his hot-streak during exhibition play continued on Tuesday.

Brandon Nimmo hit his first home run of Grapefruit League action, a solo shot that helped the Mets eclipse the double-digit scoring-mark. Pete Alonso, J.D. Davis and Dom Smith all had RBI singles, while Starling Marte recorded an RBI double and stole a base, and Jeff McNeil recorded two hits and stole a base as well.

In his first game in over a week due to back tightness, catcher James McCann had an RBI double at the plate. McCann caught Bassitt for three innings and felt good health-wise. The challenge that will come now is gaining more at-bats in the final week of camp to prepare for the regular-season.

But McCann's main priority is to get comfortable with the Mets' pitching staff ahead of Opening Day. And in his first game catching Bassitt, McCann was impressed by what he saw from the Mets' new hurler.

“I love his mentality and approach to the game," McCann said. "Obviously, the stuff he has is good. It’s going to be exciting to catch him."

Although his stuff doesn't necessarily compare to aces Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, McCann believes the addition of Bassitt will give the team an impressive rotation.

"He does have good stuff," McCann said. "But when you’re comparing a guy to Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, It may not jump off the page the same way. But you’re talking about once in a generation type players. For Bassitt to be labeled as a No. 3, It’s a pretty good pitching staff.”

Bassitt was the Oakland Athletics' Opening Day starter in 2021. Now he will serve as the third arm in a trio of Cy Young-caliber pitchers atop the Mets' rotation.