Chris Bassitt had his first start of the season on Friday, however, it didn't end so well. The Toronto Blue Jays fell to the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 8-2, and Bassitt found himself in a hole during the third inning.
Interestingly enough, he played a solid game despite some of his key mistakes. For instance, he threw a total of 95 pitches in five innings and ended up notching 63 strikes. Moreover, 31 of his strikes were either called or swung at. However, he made one critical mistake in the third quarter that ended up costing his team dearly. With Brandon Lowe at the plate, Bassitt threw a cutter down the middle, and Lowe read it perfectly. The bases were loaded at this time, and it ultimately led to a Grand Slam home run. This gave the Rays four runs in one inning, and they never looked back.
This is the 35-year-old's second season with the Toronto Blue Jays. Last year, he finished the season with a record of 16-8. Moreover, he ended up with an ERA of 3.60 which is above his career average of 3.51. Although, he did throw the most innings of his career, as the Blue Jays had him in for 200 innings. Needless to say, he is a veteran who is most certainly capable of bouncing back and showcasing his talents in the next game.
The Blue Jays will have a chance at revenge this afternoon as they take on the Tampa Bay Rays again. This is the third match of a four-game series to start the season. For those who want to watch, the action will begin at 4:10 PM Eastern Standard Time. If you are in Canada, the game will be watchable over on Sportsnet.