Never mind the inconsistent play, the questionable decisions and the current standings.
Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt says the Blue Jays have the pieces to beat any team at any time.
“I think we’ve all been waiting for it, I really do,” Bassitt said after throwing eight innings of shutout ball in a 7-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday at Rogers Centre. “Talking with other guys and other teams, even the league’s kind of waiting for it to happen. Hopefully it does.
“If we put it all together, I don’t think there’s team better in the big leagues — I really don’t. It’s just a matter if we can put it together at the right time.”
Of course, talk must turn to action in a hurry for the Blue Jays to meet Bassitt’s expectations.
The Blue Jays (73-61) entered Wednesday 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. Even with the series-ending win, they are just 3-3 to open a huge 15-game stretch against teams with losing records.
The long-standing belief that pitching and defence wins championships is being put to the test by a Blue Jays squad that has, for the most part, thrived in those areas this season. The bats have been the issue, especially with runners in scoring position.
“We have the guys to do it,” Bassitt said. “There’s a lot of false hope in the league when it comes to alright we can put it together at the right time but you don’t have the guys to put it together at the right time. We have the guys to put it together at the right time. It’s just a matter of getting it done.
“I feel like when our pitching was hot, our hitting was cold. When our hitting was hot, our pitching was cold. We have the guys to do it. Just don’t panic. Have fun. We’ll put it together at the right time.”
Bassitt does know what a good team looks like. He played for a 101-win New York Mets team last year before signing a three-year, $63-million deal with the Blue Jays.