Blue Jays' Bassitt announces major charitable donation to give back to Toronto
When Chris Bassitt joined the Toronto Blue Jays last offseason, the team added a veteran arm to their pitching rotation in the ongoing pursuit of playoff success.
Signing a three-year deal in Toronto, the Jays showed a belief in Bassitt to help bolster the chances of achieving the team’s first World Series victory since back in 1993, when Bassitt himself was just four years old.
But they also got a player who’s quickly endeared himself to the local fanbase — and vice versa.
So much so that Bassitt and his wife Jessica have partnered with the Jays Care Foundation on a new initiative called “Bassitts Pitch In,” which will donate $10,000 each time the team wins a game that he pitches in.
Bassitt is 9-5 with an ERA of 4.12 and 107 strikeouts in 20 appearances for the Blue Jays this season, with the Jays picking up an additional three wins he did not get the decision for.
Making their donations retroactive to Opening Day, the Bassitt family has now donated $120,000 to the team’s charitable arm.
“When we joined the Blue Jays, our family immediately felt embraced by the local community and fans across the country,” the Bassitts said in a release. “We are building our family in Toronto and believe strongly in giving back to the community that supports us on and off the field. Sports have an incredibly positive impact on children’s emotional and physical well-being, and we are excited to partner with Jays Care on all the amazing work they do with kids and sports.”
The proceeds will help with the RBI Summer Edition – a free sport-for-development program serving children in underserved communities across Toronto.
The Bassists have two children, a daughter named Landry and a son named Colson, the latter of whom was born earlier this year, with Bassitt immediately flying home after an outing at Yankee Stadium to make it to the hospital in time for his son’s birth.
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