The Baltimore Orioles are making moves to shore up the one area that derailed their 2025 season: starting pitching. After a frustrating year that saw their rotation struggle with both injuries and inconsistency, the Orioles have turned to a proven veteran presence, signing right-hander Chris Bassitt to a one-year deal worth $18.5 million, with an additional $500,000 in performance-based incentives.
This isn’t a flashy signing, but it’s a savvy one - the kind of move that speaks to a front office that knows exactly where things went wrong and how to fix it. Bassitt, who turns 37 this spring, brings exactly what Baltimore needs: stability, durability, and a track record of getting outs in one of the toughest divisions in baseball.
Coming off a solid season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bassitt posted an 11-9 record with a 3.96 ERA. Now, that ERA might not jump off the page, but context matters - especially in the AL East, where lineups are stacked and ballparks aren’t exactly pitcher-friendly. Bassitt navigated that gauntlet with veteran savvy, mixing pitches, keeping hitters off balance, and doing what he’s done for years: give his team a chance to win.
Toronto shifted him into a bullpen role during the postseason, and he responded by quietly dominating. In seven appearances, he threw 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven. That kind of versatility - and poise under pressure - could come in handy for the Orioles, though it remains to be seen whether they plan to use him in relief or stick with what he’s done for most of his career: start games and eat innings.
And when we say “eat innings,” we mean it. Outside of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Bassitt has made at least 25 starts every year since 2019. That’s the kind of reliability that’s hard to come by, especially on a staff that couldn’t stay healthy or consistent last year.
Baltimore’s 2025 campaign was a letdown, no way around it. They went 75-87 and finished last in the AL East - a steep fall after back-to-back playoff-caliber seasons.
In 2023, they won 101 games and took the division. In 2024, they were right there again, winning 91 and finishing second to the Yankees.
But in 2025, the rotation couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain, and the team paid the price.
That’s why this Bassitt signing matters. It’s not just about one arm - it’s about sending a message that the Orioles are serious about getting back to contention.
They’ve got the young core, the offense, the bullpen pieces. What they needed was a veteran starter who can take the ball every fifth day and set the tone.
Chris Bassitt checks that box.
Now the question becomes: is this the first move, or just one of many? If the Orioles want to climb back into the AL East race, they’ll likely need more reinforcements. But for now, they’ve taken a meaningful step toward stabilizing their rotation - and getting back to the kind of baseball that made them one of the most exciting teams in the league just a couple of years ago.