BALTIMORE — When George Springer opened Thursday’s game by stepping into the batter’s box and sticking out his tongue toward the mound, Baltimore Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt didn’t even notice.
There was a camera-ready opportunity for a cute exchange between former teammates, yet Bassitt wanted to ensure he didn’t make eye contact with any Toronto Blue Jays players or coaches.
“The mistake, at least in the past, that I’ve made is that I’ve tried to make it buddy-buddy and friendly and have fun,” Bassitt told Sportsnet on Friday. “That turns the competition metre off. So, yesterday, I didn’t look at anybody.
“If I look at them,” he added, “My love for them will trump the competition side. I was just trying to block out all the emotions of that.”
With the Blue Jays in town for a four-game series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards this week, it presented a chance for Bassitt to reconnect with teammates he forged a strong bond with during his tenure in Toronto.
“When I signed there three years ago, I didn’t expect to have the relationship I had with all those people,” said Bassitt. “Didn’t expect to have some of my best friends in the world on that team. Didn’t expect, obviously, to make the run that we did.”
The feelings were obviously mutual.
“He was a huge reason why we were as close as we were last year and why it was such a talking point having to replace a guy like that,” Jeff Hoffman said. “What he does kind of speaks for itself.”
“We definitely miss him,” added Ernie Clement. “He was one of our main guys last year. So, it’s a noticeable difference without him.”
Bassitt posted a 3.96 ERA over 170.1 innings for the Blue Jays last season. He made 31 starts but was injured leading up to the playoffs and returned in the American League Championship Series as a reliever. During that round and the World Series, Bassitt logged 8.2 innings while allowing just one run.
Asked if he had conversations with the Blue Jays about a return in the off-season, the 37-year-old declined to go into specifics.
“They checked in on me,” said Bassitt. “I mean, obviously, we talked and, out of respect to that front office, I’m not going to get into how anything went down or whatever. It is what it is. So, if they want to talk about it, they can talk about it, but I’m definitely not. Just it is what it is, but I have no animosity. I love those guys. I’m forever grateful for (Blue Jays president) Mark (Shapiro) and (general manager) Ross (Atkins).”
If he wasn’t going to end up in Toronto, Bassitt wanted to find a place where his family would be happy. Pete Alonso, his former teammate with the New York Mets, signed in Baltimore in December and Bassitt had conversations with the first baseman, as well as veteran Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin. He liked what he heard and ultimately signed a one-year, $18.5-million deal with the club.
Baltimore is coming off a last-place finish in the AL East and president and general manager Mike Elias made several bold additions over the winter with an eye toward bolstering a talented young core that has underachieved. Alonso was signed to a five-year, $155-million deal, reliever Ryan Helsley inked a two-year deal and outfielder Taylor Ward and right-hander Shane Baz were acquired in trades.
“Everyone works really hard together, everyone pulls for each other, everyone plays for each other,” said Bassitt. “It’s just a very different group in the aspect of it’s a very old group over there (in Toronto). And it’s a very young group here. So, it’s more so teaching the right way to do things, when over there, that’s already been established. It has kind of been beaten into a lot of those guys over there, so they’re a couple steps ahead in that aspect. But, I mean, when it comes to talent, the talent in the room here is off the chart.”
The O’s will visit Toronto next week and Bassitt was asked what he thinks the reaction will be from the fans at Rogers Centre.
“Obviously, always hoping for good,” he responded. “But the reality is my love for the fan base and my love for that city and my love of that team, there’s nothing anyone can do or say to change that.”
