Blue Jays Make Big Announcement on Starting Pitcher

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Michael G. DeFrancisco | Last updated Apr 18, 2025 1:35 PM ET

After defeating the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, the Toronto Blue Jays have advanced to an 11-8 record to begin the season. Despite the offensive underperformance of their star players, the Blue Jays find themselves in second place in a loaded American League East Division.

The biggest reason for their success has been the pitching. The Blue Jays currently rank fourth in MLB with a combined 3.08 ERA. When coupled with their minuscule 1.03 WHIP, it's easy to see why Toronto has been one of the best teams in baseball despite a struggling offense.

One pitcher in particular is leading the charge for the Blue Jays.

Right-handed starter Chris Bassitt has been fantastic to begin the 2025 campaign. After going five shutout innings on Wednesday, Bassitt is one of only three starting pitchers in the Majors with an ERA below one.

In fact, the Blue Jays announced he leads baseball in ERA with a 0.77 mark.

Chris Bassitt's 0.77 ERA is THE BEST in the Majors! pic.twitter.com/mFFShwwe8U
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 17, 2025

Bassitt has accumulated just two earned runs in his 23.1 innings of work. Additionally, he has struck out 31 batters and walked just five. He is yet to allow a homer and has a record of 2-0 on the season.

In 2023, the former All-Star signed with Toronto on a three-year, $63 million deal. The 36-year-old is set to become a free agent after this season and could secure himself a nice payday if he can continue this production throughout the season.

For now, his focus will be on leading the Blue Jays to their first playoff series win since 2016.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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