Bassitt may not be back next year, but he spent the end of the season pushing the Orioles to set new standards from top to bottom.
Right-hander Chris Bassitt could be pitching somewhere else next year, but that did not stop him from meeting with manager Craig Albernaz, Mike Elias and other key decision-makers about how the Baltimore Orioles can start winning again.
Bassitt, 37, is a pending free agent, and 2026 was his first season in Baltimore.
The Orioles finished 79-82 and fourth in the American League East, 18.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, and Bassitt gave the front office his feedback on the season, according to The Baltimore Banner.
Bassitt Wants the Players to Lead
His main point was that the Orioles need to learn how to win, and that starts with setting standards all the way down to the lowest levels of the minor leagues.
He believes those rules mean more when they come from the players instead of only from the coaches and the front office.
"I think players in this room have got to grab the reins and responsibility of what it takes to be a big leaguer who really wants to win," Bassitt told The Baltimore Banner.
"When they do that, the minor leagues better follow, because if they don't follow, it's really easy to replace a minor leaguer."
He went on to say the same goes for big leaguers who do not want to do what it takes to help the team win.
Bassitt named shortstop Gunnar Henderson, first baseman Pete Alonso and right-handers Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish as the players he wants to deliver that message to the whole system, with some changes that he called non-negotiables.
He said the plan is already agreed upon with Elias, Albernaz and the coaches, and the Banner reported that some of his ideas will be put in place with help from those four players.
I like this message more because of who it is coming from, since Bassitt is not a young player trying to make a name for himself and has nothing to gain by saying it.
Alonso has already promised a better effort after this season, so the buy-in from the top players looks real, and that will help more than any one signing this winter.
Why It Could Take Time
Bassitt knows it will take time, and he told Alonso earlier this season that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for a new player to make big organizational changes in year one.
The Banner also noted that it is not clear when the process will begin, especially with the threat of a lockout hanging over the 2027 season.
Bassitt went 9-5 with 18 starts in 20 games and threw 102 innings this season.
He has already talked about his own future, and whether he returns or not, his ideas could stick around.
What Comes Next
Elias has talked about getting the Orioles back into contention, and this offseason will show whether the club follows through on these standards.
If Henderson, Alonso, Baz and Bradish actually follow through, the most useful thing Bassitt did in his one year in Baltimore might turn out to be the feedback he gave the front office, and that would be a pretty good parting gift.
