Top Landing Spots for Free Agent Chris Bassitt

Metric	2025	2026
Strikeout Rate	22.6%	16.1%
Walk Rate	7.1%	8.3%
Whiff Rate	23.3%	20.9%

Bassitt’s sinker remained his most-used pitch in 2026, even as he cut its usage from 41.7% to 36.7%. Opponents hit .335 against it, up from .297 the year before, and their expected batting average rose from .291 to .307. The pitch’s run value fell from +5 to 0.

Left-handed hitters continued to give Bassitt trouble, batting .311/.379/.475 against him in 2026 and accounting for eight of the 10 home runs he allowed. They also posted an .813 OPS against him in 2025 and an .877 OPS in 2024, so the issue predates his move to Baltimore.

Bassitt’s back is another concern heading into his age-38 season. He finished the 2025 regular season on the injured list with lower-back inflammation and underwent a procedure in June 2026 to remove a bone spur near his lumbar spine. His eight starts after returning were encouraging, but teams will have to decide how many innings they can count on him to throw over a full season.

Free Agent Profile

• Age in 2027: 38
• 2026 stats: 20 G, 18 GS, 102 IP, 4.41 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 1.55 WHIP, 74 K, 1.0 fWAR
• 2026 salary: $18.5 million

Contract Projection

• Projected Length: 1 year
• Projected AAV: $6 -12 million

Bassitt projects as a fourth or fifth starter, with Steamer forecasting a 4.38 ERA and 1.4 fWAR over 143 innings and 26 starts in 2027. His ceiling is low heading into his age-38 season, but there’s upside in the workload. If he stays healthy, he could approach the 170 innings he reached in four straight seasons from 2022 through 2025.

Zach Eflin is a comparable signing from last offseason. He signed a one-year, $10 million deal with Baltimore after an injury-shortened season. A team could land near the lower end of the $6–12 million range and give Bassitt a chance to earn more through incentives tied to starts.

Free Agent Landing Spots for Chris Bassitt

San Francisco Giants

The Giants traded Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle at the deadline, and four of their younger starters are recovering from Tommy John surgery. Logan Webb, Landen Roupp and Adrian Houser are set to return in 2027, leaving an opening for Bassitt while San Francisco waits for some of its pitching depth to get healthy.

Buster Posey has indicated that the cost of surrendering draft picks makes some free agents harder for the Giants to pursue. Bassitt would cost them no draft picks, and a one-year deal would leave room to add another starter and bolster the bullpen.

Tampa Bay Rays

Nick Martinez gave the Rays 180 innings and a 3.10 ERA in 31 starts in 2026, providing a veteran presence on a team that reached the World Series. With Martinez and Freddy Peralta both hitting free agency, Tampa Bay has two starters to replace from its postseason rotation.

Bassitt could pick up some of Martinez’s innings while Ryan Pepiot returns from a hip injury and Griffin Jax adjusts to a larger workload as a starter. The Rays guaranteed Martinez $13 million last offseason, and Bassitt could fill a similar role on a less expensive deal.

Chicago Cubs

All five starters who finished the season in the Cubs’ rotation are free agents. Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman combined for 87 starts with Chicago in 2026, and Colin Rea made another 19 before the Cubs declined his option.

Even if some of those pitchers return, Bassitt could fill an opening while Cade Horton recovers from Tommy John surgery. The Cubs’ Team Gold Glove in 2026 adds another reason the fit makes sense. A strong defence would help Bassitt, who allowed more balls in play last season as his strikeout rate fell to 16.1%.

Baltimore Orioles

Trevor Rogers, Zach Eflin and Bassitt are all free agents, leaving openings behind Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz and Brandon Young. Rogers and Bassitt combined for 48 starts in 2026, giving Baltimore a sizeable workload to replace.

The Orioles saw Bassitt’s late-season rebound firsthand and could bring him back for less than the $18.5 million they paid last offseason. A reunion makes the most sense if they also retain Rogers or add another pitcher who can start near the front of the rotation.

San Diego Padres

Michael King, Nick Pivetta and Walker Buehler are all free agents, and King and Buehler alone accounted for 64 starts and 338⅔ innings for San Diego in 2026. Randy Vásquez is one of the Padres’ few returning options, and the club still has to figure out how much it can ask of Joe Musgrove in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery.

With several spots to fill, the Padres could pursue a replacement for King at the top of the rotation and still have a place for Bassitt. A one-year deal for Bassitt would also leave San Diego room to address holes in the lineup.

Chicago White Sox

White Sox starters threw the fewest innings in MLB in 2026, and Sean Burke was their only traditional starter in the postseason. Grant Taylor is moving into the rotation after throwing 84 innings last season, mostly in relief. Getting five or six innings from Bassitt on his days to pitch could ease the load on Chicago’s bullpen as Taylor adjusts to starting.

Bassitt made his MLB debut with the White Sox, who drafted him in 2011. General manager Chris Getz has said he’s looking for pitchers who can slot into the middle or top of the rotation, so a reunion makes the most sense if Chicago still needs a fifth starter after addressing that priority.