With the Blue Jays 16 games out of first place in the American League East and eight teams ahead of them in the wild-card race, right-hander Chris Bassitt and several other Toronto standouts could be traded before the fast-approaching July. 30 trade deadline. It would make sense for the Blue Jays to move on from Bassitt, the 35-year-old who has a $22 million contract through next season. There's no shortage of contenders looking for help applying, and Bassitt would appear to offer attractive returns.
His record is an honest first. Since the start of the 2021 season, Bassitt has logged a 3.43 ERA and 3.79 FIP while throwing the seventh most innings in the majors. Furthermore, after a rocky first month (5.64 ERA, 5.55 FIP over his first six starts), he has been at the top of his game since early May. Bassitt boasts a 2.69 ERA and 3.02 FIP over his past 13 starts, and has gone at least five frames in all of them. Overall, he is 8-7 with a 3.52 ERA, 3.73 FIP, and 2.0 WAR over 107 1/3 innings this season.
How does a 10-year veteran ply his trade? I sat down with him earlier this month to find out.
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David Laurila: Would you call yourself a pitching nerd?
Chris Bassitt: “I like to understand the art of it, for sure. I can say that it was an interesting experience just watching the boys. I've been blessed to be teammates with a lot of really good guys, and I've always loved watching the pitches they use, how they use them, who they use them against. Things like that.
“When I have a problem with, say, a certain type of hitter, I go back to what I've seen in the past with other hitters and what they've done. If that makes me bored, yes.”
Laurila: Are you mostly just watching — I'm sure video is a big part of that — or are you also mining data?
Bassitt: “There are not many details. I can watch a game and tell you pretty well what the numbers are going to be. I don't need numbers to tell me that a guy's four-seamer is really good, or that a guy's sinker is sinking, or running, more than usual. You can see that. I would say that data is for people who can watch the game and understand what things are. So, all my stuff is film. I don't need numbers to tell me what's going on.”
Laurila: It sounds like you're not chasing certain metrics when you're trying to refine any of your pitches.
Bassitt: “I mean, pitch metrics are all well and good, but the reality of pitch metrics is that you're blessed with this or that. I can't get the vertical on my four seams to be 18 to 20 [inches]; I can't do that. If I'm in a rush for that, I feel like I'm going to have to completely change my workout routine, and changing weights greatly increases the risk of injury, and things like that. Your metrics are your metrics, so why worry about them?
“You can tinker with things a little bit, or try to learn a new pitch and see what it's like metrically, but overall, a guy's fastball is a guy's fastball. [and] his slide is his slide. I don't need metrics to tell me, 'Yeah, it's your slide.' I know, man. I know that kind of thing. I could easily go out and throw a fastball and tell you what the metrics are without knowing it.”
Laurila: That said, you may want to try adjusting the spacing to add a vertical or horizontal break…
Bassitt: “I won't say fix the fields. I just added the forums. Like I said, I'm a firm believer that, for the most part, your platforms are your platforms. Basically, 'Do they work or not?' And if they don't work, there's so much tweaking you can do that you cross the fine line in changing mechanics. And, people get hurt doing that. The risk of playing with pitch is not worth the reward. Maybe he pitches nastier, but after a few innings he gets hurt. That doesn't make sense.”
Laurila: What is your current full repertoire?
Bassitt: “Four-seamer, sinker – I can make my two-seamer like a real sinker – cutter, slider, curve, sweeper, switchup, splitter. I think so.”
Laurila: Many songs…
Bassitt: “Yes. I would say I have eight or nine different games. In fact, I only throw four or five against any one hitter, depending on their weakness. For example, some guys hit the sinks and remove them really, really well, and they hit the sinks really bad. You need to understand that; you need to understand the data. There are also missed patterns to watch out for. It's 'Okay, I can't miss this guy,' or “Okay, I can't miss this guy.” But yes, I have eight or nine pitches that I can use to go after different players.”
Laurila: How many pitches did you have when you made your big league debut [in 2014]?
Bassitt: “Actually two. I was a sinker-curveball, with a really bad changeup. “
Laurila: From there, he added ratings steadily over the years…
Bassitt: “Yes. I think it was me playing the pitches, but not reducing it like, 'Hey, I'm trying to fix the catch' – whatever it might be – throwing a different style of pitch. It was more, 'I'm struggling with this type of hitting, so I need to add this type of pitch.'
“I struggled with leftovers – they were always sinking into my sink – early on. I had a really hard time throwing sinkers to lefties, so I started cutting. Then I created a sweeper to improve my numbers against the good ones. I developed a splitter to improve my numbers against lefties. I made a change to improve my numbers against the righties.
“It's always about trying to stay ahead of the curve, so to speak. Teams are trying to get used to you, and you have to stay ahead of that. If they adjust to you – if they fully adjust – the chances of you staying in the league for long are very slim. So yeah, I always try to stay ahead of what the hitters are trying to do. “
Laurila: You mentioned that you can make your two seamers over the sinker. Does that mean you can get vertical or lateral arm movement?
Bassitt: “Yes.”
Laurila: For you, that is mostly a matter of feeling; you can pick up a baseball and accurately manipulate how the ball moves.
Bassitt: “Yes. I know how I need to throw it to go certain ways – say add depth or whatever it might be. But overall, it's a better understanding of your points. I think the most deeply lost thing today is the art of understanding, 'Who are you?' I watch a lot of sports and I see a lot of players running, and I don't think many of them can really answer that question: 'Who are you?' There are a lot of bowlers in today's game.”
Laurila: A question I have asked many pitchers over the years is whether they view pitching as more of an art or more of a science. Based on this discussion, I think you can say that it is a lot of art.
Bassitt: “Yes, and it's not closed. If all you want is 'stuff,' you don't understand the game. Eventually the game will force you to understand it, or you will just quit the game. You have to understand the art of hitting.”
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