An insider pinpoints Chris Bassitt as a potential starting pitcher acquisition for the Miami Marlins. His veteran presence could bolster a young, injury-prone rotation.
The Miami Marlins would be wise to sign a starting pitcher.
A team can never have enough pitching, and that's a baseball cliche that is hard to argue against.
A significant number of injuries occurred over 162 games, some of them major. When they do happen, a team must have people who can step up.
This is true for any rotation, but because the Marlins traded two of their top three starting pitchers over the winter, it's especially true for Miami.
The Marlins' rotation is still good enough that a back-end starter might not be their top priority. But it certainly wouldn't hurt, and there's one name that a top MLB Insider mentioned as a fit.
For Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Chris Bassitt would be an asset for Miami.
Bassitt has been around a long time, logging 11 seasons for four teams.
He spent seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, with his last one (12-4, 3.15 ERA) the most effective.
After that, the rebuilding A's shipped Bassitt to the New York Mets, where he went 15-9 with a 3.42 ERA in 2022. This earned him a three-year, $63 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. After a solid run, where Bassitt won 16 games in 2023 and helped the Blue Jays to their first AL pennant in 32 years this past season, Bassitt is now a free agent.
Bowden didn't list the Marlins at the top of Bassitt's list of suitors, citing the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers as the best fits.
But he also mentioned the A's, Marlins and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim as "rebuilding teams" that make sense.
Whether the Marlins are rebuilding is a complicated question, but what's not complicated is that Bassitt is one of the more consistent pitchers in the game. As Bowden pointed out, Bassitt has logged double-digit wins six years in a row, and, aside from 2024 (4.16), his ERA has been below four every year since 2018.
Bassitt will turn 37 this season, which is a good or a bad thing for those wanting to sign him.
For a team like the Marlins, this could be a big boost. Miami had the youngest team in the majors last season, and the average age of this year's rotation, per Fangraphs, is 27 years and seven months.
That's without top prospects Thomas White (21) and Robby Snelling (22), who are expected to debut this season.
If Bassitt is still young enough to keep up his steady production, he could be a big asset for a rotation that could use more wisdom.
ㅤ
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!