The Toronto Blue Jays will look to build on their momentum after powering their way to a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves last night, setting up an intriguing rubber match at Rogers Centre this afternoon.
While much of the attention will center on Atlanta's Spencer Strider making his highly anticipated 2025 season debut, Toronto's Chris Bassitt has quietly been establishing himself as one of the most effective starters in the early going.
Bassitt, the veteran right-hander with an extensive pitch arsenal, has been nothing short of exceptional through his first three starts. Having allowed just two earned runs on 17 hits while racking up 21 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings against formidable lineups in Baltimore, New York, and Boston, he presents a significant challenge for a struggling Braves offense.
Atlanta's batting woes have been evident to start the season, with the team ranking 19th in batting average and OPS, while sitting 20th in wRC+. This offensive slump plays directly into Bassitt's strengths, particularly given his history against several Braves hitters from his time with the Mets.
Current Atlanta batters have managed just a combined .229 expected batting average and .388 expected slugging percentage against Bassitt, with the Toronto starter striking them out 24% of the time in previous encounters.
Particularly cold are outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Michael Harris II, who are hitting .154 and .190 respectively this season. Kelenic remains hitless in 10 career plate appearances against Bassitt with four strikeouts, while Harris is 0-for-5 with two strikeouts when facing him.
According to Statbet analytics, Bassitt's matchup advantages against the current Braves lineup make him a strong candidate to exceed his season average of strikeouts per game in today's contest.
While Strider's return to the mound for Atlanta promises to generate headlines after his impressive 500 strikeouts between 2022 and 2023, Bassitt's consistent performance and deep-game potential could be the defining factor in this series-deciding matchup at Rogers Centre.
