Chris Bassitt pens heartfelt goodbye message to Toronto Blue Jays fans
Chris Bassitt's chapter with the Toronto Blue Jays officially came to a close late Wednesday night.
After remaining on the free-agent market longer than most had envisioned, the 36-year-old inked a one-year, $18.5 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
The Orioles will mark Bassitt's fifth MLB organization, after stints with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, and, most recently, the Blue Jays.
Bassitt wound up spending three seasons in Toronto, putting up a combined 3.89 ERA through 541.1 innings. While a very serviceable starter throughout the tenure, he really became a fan favourite in last year's World Series run, giving the Jays some elite innings out of the bullpen.
"Toronto and all of Canada... I'm beyond grateful that my family and I chose to come three years ago," Bassitt wrote. "From having our youngest son there to getting to a World Series and everything in between.
"It was filled with love and friendships that my family will cherish for the rest of our lives. We gave you everything we had. Yall give us so much more. Thank yall for literally everything."
The writing appeared to be on the wall regarding Bassitt's Blue Jays tenure for some time. General manager Ross Atkins chose instead to bring in the likes of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, which many viewed as an indication that Bassitt's time with the organization had likely come to a close.
Bassitt, who was the AL wins leader in his first season with the Jays, will join an Orioles team who finished last in the AL East in 2025 with a 75-87 record.
Expect to hear a loud cheer from Blue Jays faithful when Bassitt returns to Rogers Centre with his new team this coming season.
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