The New York Mets avoided arbitration with right-hander Chris Bassitt by signing him to a one-year, $8.8 million contract Saturday, according to multiple reports.
He will earn $8.65 million in salary this season. The deal includes a $19 million mutual option for 2023 with a $150,000 buyout, per the reports.
An arbitration hearing was scheduled for Monday. Bassitt was seeking $9 million and the Mets had countered at $8.3 million.
Bassitt, 33, is off to a strong start this season with a 4-2 record, a 2.77 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings over eight starts.
Named a first-time All-Star last season with the Oakland Athletics, Bassitt was traded to the Mets on March 12 for right-hander Adam Oller and minor league right-hander J.T. Ginn.
Bassitt is 35-27 with a 3.41 ERA in 114 games (101 starts) for the Chicago White Sox (2014), A’s (2015-16, 2018-21) and Mets.
–Field Level Media