Chris Bassitt is one of many frontline starting pitchers out on the free agent market.
The New York Mets had acquired the veteran right-hander from the Oakland Athletics prior to the start of the 2022 season.
However, Bassitt opted out of the remainder of his contract and hit the free agent market.
The Mets did offer him a qualifying offer of $19.65 million.
But according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Bassitt is seeking a multi-year deal, and thus declined the Mets’ qualifying offer.
Heyman also stated that whatever deal Bassitt ends up signing should very easily top the amount of money in the Mets’ qualifying offer.
Chris Bassitt wil decline the $19.65M qualifying offer from the Mets. No surprise there. Seeks multiyear deal, should top that salary.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 11, 2022
Bassitt Declines Mets’ QO
Bassitt may not jump off the page as somebody that could be considered an ace, but he’s sure to garner some interest from teams looking for a starter.
The Mets could potentially dive back in if they lose Jacob deGrom.
The Texas Rangers appear to be a team that will target starting pitching this offseason, so Bassitt could be on their list of starters to pursue.
Familiarity with the AL West from his days in Oakland would also be a plus.
Another team that could potentially target him would be the St. Louis Cardinals, who despite bringing back Adam Wainwright, will likely need a frontline starter in order to compete with the top teams in the National League.
Ultimately, the news about Bassitt declining the qualifying offer comes as no surprise.
As Heyman alluded to, Bassitt will likely seek a multi-year deal.
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