The Atlanta Braves have been carried by their starting pitching in 2024, but should they be on the lookout for more?
Chris Sale, Max Fried and Reynaldo López have been the backbone of the entire roster so far, producing a combined 23-8 record. But 40-year-old Charlie Morton has had ups and downs, while the fifth rotation slot has been manned by a cast of Triple-A call-ups.
With a nine-game deficit to the rival Philadelphia Phillies, the Braves may well need one more starter to solidify their roster for the stretch run. And one Major League Baseball insider suggests that starter could come in the form of a Toronto Blue Jays All-Star.
In his MLB trade deadline mailbag, Jim Bowden of The Athletic was asked if the Braves would consider dealing for the Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman. And while he didn't rule out the possibility, Bowden said one of Gausman's teammates, veteran righty Chris Bassitt, would be a better fit.
I would have more interest in Chris Bassit... if the Blue Jays make (him) available," Bowden said.
Bassitt, 35, has quietly been one of the most productive pitchers in baseball over the past five years. The 2021 All-Star has three top-10 Cy Young finishes since 2020, including last season, when he co-led the American League with 16 wins.
Bassitt has also been on fire as of late. Since the start of May, the crafty veteran has a 2.15 ERA in 11 starts, bumping his season ERA down to 3.24 from over five in April. Opposing hitters are slugging just .293 against Bassitt in that period.
With team control for the 2025 season, Bassitt is everything the Braves could want from a trade acquisition. He is one of baseball's most durable pitchers, which helps when all three of the Braves' top starters are approaching or exceeding their innings pitched counts from 2023.
Bassitt also makes for a perfect offseason trade flip if the Braves don't want to pay his 2025 salary, which is $22 million. Atlanta can wait to see how their rookie starters develop and decide if Bassitt is needed or can be flipped for more prospects.
It makes sense for the Blue Jays to deal Bassitt if they continue languishing in last place. But teams like the Braves have to hope they swallow their pride and pull the trigger.
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