Chris Bassitt was the lone Met of 14 eligible players not to come to an agreement on a deal for 2022, coming in at $9 million for his debut season in New York, while the Mets countered at $8.3 million, according to Audacy MLB insider Jon Heyman.
How much is the new Mets starter thinking about that $700,000 difference, or the pending arbitration hearing that lies ahead with his new team?
He’s not thinking about it at all.
“My entire outlook is that I care about baseball,” Bassitt said after pitching in an intrasquad game on Thursday. “I don’t give a s--t about my contract. That’s why I pay my agent.”
Bassitt was acquired in a deal with the A’s after the lockout, providing the Mets with a formidable No. 3 starter behind Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. The 33-year-old was an All-Star last season, pitching to a 3.15 ERA in 157.1 innings, in a season in which he made $4.9 million. That was more than double what he made the year before, and he is hoping for a similar increase this year after the way he produced in 2021. The Mets slightly disagree, and while arbitration hearings can be uncomfortable and even contentious, Bassitt is leaving that all to his agent, including all care.
“My agent gets to fight with the front office, and that’s it. I don’t care,” Bassitt said. “I care about winning and having fun with these guys. I don’t care about all that.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
