New York Mets right-hander Chris Bassitt is scheduled to hit the free-agent market this offseason, but he's open to remaining with the team long-term, according to comments he made to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
"From my standpoint, I am very surprised at how much I like it here, to be honest," Bassitt said. Neither Bassitt nor Mets general manager Billy Eppler would say if any extension talks had taken place yet. Another source told Sherman none had.
Bassitt, 33 years old, is in his first season with the Mets. Eppler acquired him from the Oakland Athletics over the offseason in a trade that sent Adam Oller and prospect J.T. Ginn out west. Bassitt has since started five times for the Mets, amassing a 2.61 ERA (145 ERA+) and a 4.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31 innings pitched.
Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
Although Bassitt's advanced age will likely suppress the length of his next contract, his track record suggests he should be in line for a healthy average annual value. Since the start of the 2019 season, he's posted a 3.21 ERA (129 ERA+), a 3.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 9.1 Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball-Reference's calculations. For comparison's sake, that ranks 15th among all pitchers in that time.
Of course, Bassitt isn't the only notable Mets starter slated to hit the open market. Ace Jacob deGrom, who has been sidelined this season by an injury, has repeatedly said he intends to opt out of his contract at the end of the season. The Mets also hold club options on Taijuan Walker and Carlos Carrasco, meaning their rotation could look substantially different come next Opening Day if that's what they so desire.
Should Bassitt and deGrom indeed become free agents, they would join a class that could also potentially feature Joe Musgrove (Padres), Nathan Eovaldi (Red Sox), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), Noah Syndergaard (Angels), Zach Eflin (Phillies), and Jameson Taillon (Yankees).
