Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt offers tickets to fan mourning mother’s death

Chris Bassitt is no stranger to making an impact on the lives of those who are in need.

The Toronto Blue Jays starter reached out to a fan named Blue Jays Dad (Grand) on X, who shared a post following the death of his mother, offering him tickets as long as he is a member of the team.

“[Direct message] me. As long as I’m here… I got your tickets,” Bassitt wrote on X. “God bless your mom. We need more women like her.”

Bassitt told the fan to message him personally about getting tickets.

Since joining the Blue Jays last season Bassitt and his wife Jessica have made it a point to make a positive impact in the community. The Bassitts pledged to donate US$10,000 to Jays Care every time the Blue Jays win when Chris pitches this season, retroactive to Opening Day 2023.

The program, called “Bassitts Pitch In,” supports Jays Care’s RBI Summer Edition, a free sport-for-development program designed to enhance the mental and physical health of kids in under-resourced communities across Toronto.

Bassitt’s charity program returned for 2024 after raising $279,818 for RBI Summer Edition in 2023, with the Bassitts contributing $265,668.

The 35-year-old has pitched to a 4.02 ERA in 22 starts this season, with 115 strikeouts in 123 innings. He has one year left on his contract, which will pay him $22 million in 2025.

With files from Lucas Casaletto of CityNews