The Toronto Blue Jays are going toe-to-toe with the Baltimore Orioles. Prior to the start of this series between AL East Rivals, the Orioles announced their probable starters. Chris Bassitt, Kyle Bradish, and Trevor Rogers were announced as the three starting pitchers for the series that starts on Friday, September 11th, 2026.
At this time, the Blue Jays haven’t revealed their starting pitchers. Game 1 begins at 5:07 PM Mountain Time, 7:07 PM Eastern Time.
Former Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher Chris Bassitt Returns to Toronto
Bassitt returns to Toronto on Friday, September 11th, 2026.
The 37-year-old is penciled in as the starting pitcher for the Orioles for Friday’s contest. It will be the second game that Bassitt has played against his old club, the first one in Toronto.
The first game Bassitt played against the Blue Jays this year came back in May.
On May 28th, 2026, the Blue Jays defeated the Orioles by a 2-1 score. In that game, Bassitt pitched six innings. He recorded two strikeouts and one walk while surrendering four hits and one home run.
Chris Bassitt’s Bad Year With The Baltimore Orioles
After playing for the Blue Jays for three years, Bassitt made the difficult decision to move on this past offseason.
On February 11th, 2026, Bassitt signed a one-year, $18 million contract.
Sadly for Bassitt, things haven’t been great for him since signing that deal. Between his performance when he is in the lineup and the injuries he has sustained outside of it, it’s been a lackluster year.
Between June 8th and August 15th, Bassitt was either on the IL or on a rehab assignment.
As for his performance, Bassitt has started 15 games this year. In those games, he has recorded 61 strikeouts and a 6-5 record in 85.1 innings pitched. Additionally, he has a 4.96 ERA, a 1.58 WHIP, and three quality starts.
In stark contrast, Bassitt was the model of consistent performance with the Blue Jays.
Bassitt started at least 30 games in all three seasons with Toronto. He also pitched at least 170 innings and 166 strikeouts per year. Finally, he recorded 21, 12, and 11 quality starts, respectively.
Luckily for Bassitt, he only signed a one-year deal with the Orioles, so he can leave that team in the offseason.
Prior to joining the Blue Jays, he made stops playing for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and New York Mets.
Considering how well he pitched with the Blue Jays and how well-liked he was in the clubhouse, bringing Bassitt back next season should at least be considered.
Former Toronto Blue Jays 37-Year-Old Hurler Having Bad Year With Orioles