The following two weeks will be like a midterm exam for the first semester of the Toronto Blue Jay’s regular season and Chris Bassitt just got straight As.
Bassitt pitched the Blue Jays’ first nine-inning shutout in nearly eight years, dating back to Mark Buehrle on June 3, 2015. It had been 1,176 games since that masterpiece from Buehrle, and 880 games since Marcus Stroman threw the last nine-inning complete game for Toronto on April 23, 2017. Both were the longest droughts in Major Baseball history.
Events like this are rare, but in Friday’s 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Rogers Centre, so was Bassit.
“That’s the best version of Chris Bassitt,” said manager John Schneider. “It’s really unique to have a guy adjust on the fly in-game. The way he manipulates the ball, it’s really cool to watch him. Competing is a really big part of the game, and we knew that when we signed him. I think it was just really evident tonight that he didn’t want to back down from any challenge.”
With Bassitt cutting through a solid Atlanta lineup over and over, the daily mental calculations went through the minds of Schneider and pitching coach Pete Walker. Schneider ran out to the pitch to speak to Bassitt in the top of the eighth with two outs, but that was no more than a quick check-in. With the numbers in a comfortable spot, there is still an inch-wide opening for the eye test to play a part in 2023.
Toronto took a huge gamble on Chris Bassitt when they signed him and when the chance comes, they wager on the person as much as the pitcher.
“He never quits and never gives in,” said George Springer. “He just has this way about him. He’s an extremely confident guy but a very, very humble man.”
That was why it did not come as a surprise when Bassitt refused the credit after the win, downplaying the importance of a complete game along the way.
As Springer and Schneider immediately pointed out, Atlanta’s lineup was scary. This is one of the reasons the Braves are off to one of the best beginnings in Major League Baseball and has brought destruction on the road, their .793 OPS as a team overall ranking second behind just the Rays. Even after achieving a feat that no current Blue Jays were present to witness the last time it occurred, Bassitt directed the praise somewhere else.
“It was more so the offense,” said Bassitt, who hit the second shutout and second complete game of his career. “Obviously, we got a run early and we added a run in the seventh. One run, you’re playing with fire with the offense. Once it got to three, I’m not saying it was easy by any means with that lineup, but I could be more aggressive.”
Bassitt extended a shout-out to his defense too, and it was well deserved. Kevin Keirmaier, Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman made standout plays infield, another part of the Blue Jay’s growth that was not there consistently a year ago. Bassitt stated that the club’s defense, was one of the things that made him join the Blue Jays. It allowed him to grip it, rip it and be confident with what was behind him.
In their most recent away match, Toronto’s game was loose and messy at times. Friday took it back to early April when their defense and baserunning were the engines behind a tight zipped-up style of play. It was extremely frustrating for their opponents and that was what the Blue Jays wanted.
“We didn’t barrel up too many balls, for sure,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “[Sean] Murphy had the lineout and Eddie [Rosario] had the double. But other than that, there wasn’t a lot of great contact. I think that’s just the second time this year we’ve been shut out. It was just a really well-pitched game against us.”
There is no bad time for a shutout, but Friday was particularly significant for the Blue Jays. They opened a stretch of 17 games in 17 days, a run that included a series against the Braves, and Yankees. Orioles, Rays and Twins.
A mental shift happened and it goes both ways.
“Other teams are saying that it’s going to be a tough series when they come in here, too,” said Schneider. “It’s about understanding that and getting back to what we’re good at, which is having good at-bats, getting good starting pitching and making good defensive plays.”
The schedule for upcoming matches is a roster for heavyweights, but with Bassitt’s performance and the Maple Leafs concluding their yearly playoff exit a few blocks away, the Blue Jays control Toronto again.
