Stripling says missing clause caused him to turn down Blue Jays' contract offer

While the Toronto Blue Jays had a flurry of moves this offseason, few caused more commotion at first than the team not bringing back starting pitcher Ross Stripling.

Stripling had a record of 10-4 with an ERA of 3.01, 111 strikeouts and one save in 32 appearances for the Blue Jays in 2022, seeming like a solid bet to re-sign in Toronto and end up in the back half of the rotation.

It was widely reported that Toronto made an offer to Stripling, who eventually signed a two-year, $25 million deal with the San Francisco Giants.

“I loved my time in Toronto and they were in the mix to the very end,” Stripling said in an interview with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. “Essentially what it came down to was the Giants offered me an opt-out after the first year and the Blue Jays wouldn’t. That made it a no-brainer, really.”

Davidi reported that “eight to 10 clubs” had an interest in signing Stripling, including the Blue Jays.

“They literally had the same offer as the Giants,” Stripling added, “just no opt-out.”

Striping’s Giants will be visiting Toronto on June 27-29, though it’s still far too early to tell if Stripling will get on the mound in one of those games.

The most direct Stripling replacement came in the form of Chris Bassitt, who signed in Toronto on a three-year deal after opting out of his own contract with the New York Mets to hit free agency this past offseason. And Stripling himself referenced Bassitt’s contract as a reference point for what a pitcher like himself is looking for in a new deal.

“Even though I love the idea of having stability and knowing where I’m going to be for the next two years, I could be the next Chris Bassitt, in my mid-30s, coming off a good year and you’re a free agent again,” Stripling said. “Once [the opt-out] was on the board, it was like, man, you can’t walk away from that. It’s as simple as that.”

Bassitt had a record of 15-9 with an ERA of 3.42 and 167 strikeouts in 30 appearances in 2022.

The full interview with Stripling can be read here.