Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt gave a whole new meaning to "Just win, baby" on Friday, throwing 7 2/3 shutout innings vs. the Mets before returning to be with his wife for the birth of their child.
Bassitt was credited with the win in the 3-0 shutout against his former team, improving his record to 6-4 on the season. He exited in the top of the eighth after throwing 101 pitches, striking out eight (tying a season high) and allowing just three hits.
John Schneider had a message for Bassitt as finally left the mound: "Go be a dad."
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The Blue Jays pitcher stayed one more inning before leaving Citi Field to take a private plane home to Toronto to be with his wife Jessica. Schneider after the game credited Mike Shaw, the team's director of team travel, for delaying the plane's departure.
Bassit gave an update on Saturday, saying Baby No. 2 — following daughter Landry — had not yet arrived — good news for Blue Jays pitcher, whose performance vs. New York did not prevent him from being on hand for the birth of his child:
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Bassitt's return home was also delayed 91 minutes on Friday due to rain. First pitch was scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, but didn't occur until 8:41 p.m. because of the weather. Schneider said after the game there was no plan to scratch Bassitt, even as his wife was due to give birth.
"There's a lot of stress, a lot of pressure just being able to kind of get that game going and kind of get started on time so he can get home for his wife," said teammate Daulton Varsho. "It was a pretty cool experience for him to be able to do that and then be able to go experience having his second kid."
Neither the delay nor his wife's labor seemed to affect Bassitt's play, however — at least, according to Schneider's recollection: "He was pacing back and forth in the clubhouse, kind of just staying locked in like a veteran pitcher does."
Added Schneider: "I'm sure there's a million things that are going through his mind. To kind of keep everything in check was really impressive."