March 16, 2023 1:08 PM : Bassitt has tinkered with his positioning on the rubber this spring in order to offer hitters different angles on his already deep repertoire, Eno Sarris of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: "Technically I have eight," Bassitt said last week when counting up his pitches. "I have two different changeups. To lefties, it's more of a split-change, and to righties, I have a true change." By moving around on the rubber, the veteran right-hander can give hitters more things to think about. "We're learning right now that if I slide more to the third base side it improves my slider, because I have more plate to work with," he said. "From the third base side, I can throw it straight and let it break, like how Max Scherzer does it - he's hard third base side and crossfires sliders down and away." Bassitt's secret strength since becoming a full-time starter in 2019 has been his ability to lessen the third time through the order penalty thanks to having so many pitches he trusts, and after recording a career-high 19 quality starts last season with the Mets, the 34-year-old might just top that number for the Blue Jays in 2023.