Blue Jays free agent becoming more appealing by the day with sudden added arsenal

When approaching the twilight of their MLB career, players could often find it hard to land that one final contract leading up to their eventual retirement. Even for proven players that had previously been stars during their prime, they could have enough of a regression such that they would be forced to hang up their cleats earlier than expected.

As a result, may players may look for ways to ensure that they can still provide value at the MLB level no matter what the age. For Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt, he may have found exactly that during his postseason showing to date for the ballclub. With his suddenly added new arsenal to his portfolio, Bassitt has instantly become much more appealing in free agency.

Blue Jays free agent becoming more appealing by the day with sudden added arsenal

What the aging 36-year-old veteran has done is show that in addition to being a solid starting pitcher, he can now also be an elite shutdown reliever as well. In fact, Bassitt has the numbers to prove it so far in these 2025 MLB Playoffs with the Blue Jays.

In five postseason appearances to date as a reliever, he has given up ZERO runs on just one hit, with one walk and eight strikeouts in just 6.2 innings of work. More impressively, Bassitt also pitched for Toronto on back-to-back days out of the bullpen without any drop off in performance.

For someone that had been a starter for the bulk of his MLB career, that was quite the adjustment in accepting a bullpen role for the Blue Jays after coming off his injury towards the end of the regular season. Not only has he embraced the role, Bassitt has been practically lights out for Toronto in shutting down the opposition.

In doing so, prospective teams will not only be attracted to his starting ability, but his relieving ability as well with his expanded role, making him a potential invaluable swingman in the free agent market this coming winter. They would have the sudden assurance now that even if Bassitt could eventually falter in his starting role during the length of his contract, he can easily move and adjust to his relieving role and maintain his value for the team.

Or who knows, they may be so attracted to his shutdown ability out of the bullpen that they could even convert him to a full-time reliever instead as he winds down his illustrious career.

Nevertheless, Bassitt has only one thing in mind for now, which is to do all he can to help the Blue Jays seal the deal for the World Series title, with his team now up 3-2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Without a doubt, we will see him make an appearance again this series and hopefully, he will lend a hand in paving their way to victory in the process.