This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
TORONTO -- Chris Bassitt has spent a decade in the big leagues and accomplished plenty on the field. Now, he’s being recognized for the work he does off of it.
Bassitt is the Blue Jays’ 2024 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, one of the game’s highest honors. The award is given annually to the player who best represents the game of baseball with extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
“I wouldn’t even say it’s about winning the award, it’s more about helping people, to be quite honest with you,” Bassitt said. “So many of us have been blessed, especially financially, and we have the opportunity to help people the way most can’t. It’s one of the biggest honors I’ve ever had in baseball. I’ve obviously had All-Stars and all of that, but this is pretty close to No. 1.”
Since signing with the Blue Jays prior to the 2023 season, Bassitt and his wife, Jessica, have launched an initiative called “Bassitts Pitch In,” which works to support children facing barriers and helps them find a sense of belonging through sport.
As part of the initiative, the Bassitts donate $10,000 for every game that he starts and the Blue Jays win. Along with support from Blue Jays fans, this has raised nearly $400,000 since the beginning of the 2023 season and continues to grow.
“I’ve always wanted to be one of those guys who helped people out. I’ve always been attracted to the thought of people, even if I don’t know who you are,” Bassitt said. “Hopefully, there’s that so-called ripple effect when you help one person, they help another person and so on. In today’s world, so many things are negative. You just try to be a light.”
Bassitt isn’t alone in his charitable efforts in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse, of course, but his work has been particularly important these past two seasons to Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Blue Jays, and its Nike RBI Summer Edition program. That program, which supports kids from under-resourced communities in Toronto through sport, had 2,800 students from 14 schools participate in the program this past summer. The support from the Bassitts has helped the program to grow 40%, impacting nearly 5,000 young people in total.
This has all been part of Bassitt embracing not only a new community, but a new country in his time with the Blue Jays. That’s not how he looks at it, though.
“People are people,” Bassitt said. “I don’t care where you’re from. I don’t care what race you are, I don’t care what your views are. People are people. What José Berríos does is incredible, and I know there are a lot of other guys who do great things around here. I’m blessed to be with a lot of guys here who have similar thoughts that I do.”
Along with Bassitt’s work within the game of baseball, he took time in April to visit Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, where he spent time at the hospital’s in-patient wing by spending time with children, parents and staff. Bassitt joined physical therapy sessions providing encouragement and support, made bedside visits and brought gifts for the kids. He’s also been eager to support the Blue Jays’ Saturday Salute Program, which honors and recognizes a Canadian Armed Forces Member during every Saturday home game.
Jessica has been an integral partner in this work. She’s been front and center for much of the work done by the “Bassitts Pitch In” program from its beginning and he took time to express how much her work means to him and the young people they’ve been able to help along the way.
“She’s one of the biggest forces for me who makes sure I stay humble and guides me the right way,” Bassitt said. “She’s definitely one of the biggest factors in all of this, no doubt about it. She’s always been a very, very caring person, and that’s obviously one of the things that attracted me most to her. There’s no doubt about it, she’s a huge part of this.”
The efforts of all nominees for the Roberto Clemente Award were recognised on Roberto Clemente Day on Sept. 15 and the award’s winner will be announced at the upcoming World Series.