Chris Bassitt pitches for the Toronto Blue Jays.
They share the AL East with the New York Yankees, among other teams.
Both squads are expected to be contenders in the 2024 campaign.
While teams in the same division don’t play 19 times per year anymore, the 2024 schedule dictates that the Yankees will face the Blue Jays 13 times.
Bassitt will, as a result, have multiple starts against the Yankees this year.
Now, Juan Soto plays for the Yankees.
It behooves Bassitt not to ‘poke the bear’, and he let that be very clear in a recent podcast appearance.
Earlier this spring, a Bassitt curveball did this to Soto:
Chris Bassitt bringing Soto to his Knees…after a very nice 69mph Curveball. pic.twitter.com/PvP0GAIIdj
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 8, 2024
Asked by analyst Chris Rose about it, the Blue Jays right-hander said, in a hilarious way, that he doesn’t want Soto to know about his existence.
“I want Juan Soto to not even know who I am,” Bassitt said.
Chris Bassitt:
“I want Juan Soto to not even know who I am”
pic.twitter.com/JILZz9I1BF— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 20, 2024
Rose asked him if he laughed a bit inside, and he said no.
He showed respect for Soto and called him one of the best hitters in baseball.
“I don’t want to show up Juan Soto,” he said.
“I’m not saying I’m afraid or whatever it may be, but I don’t need Juan Soto mad at me and locked in,” he confessed.
A mad, locked in Soto is one the best and most dangerous offensive weapons in the league, so Bassitt may be right about this one.
We are talking about a guy who hit a career-high 35 home runs, walked 132 times, and posted a .930 OPS last year and people still said he wasn’t at his best.
With Soto on the Yankees lineup, pitchers should proceed with caution.
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