With Christmas passing and the new year creeping in, one thing is clear: the hot stove of players has not cooled down a bit. There are still plenty of names looking for new homes and waiting for the respective calls. And honestly, every team has a need. Yes, you bet! Even teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, who have been so aggressive this offseason and were World Series finalists, have a hole in their pitching depth.

And it almost cost them everything to revamp it.

Shane Bieber was first brought in, and then Dylan Cease was acquired, and so the team suddenly looks deeper and stronger. But there is another name they wanted to get back: Chris Bassitt. This is because Bassitt was reliable for the team, and he took the ball every fifth day. And sure, he was not flashy in his performance, but he was steady.

He is the kind of pitcher managers trust when things start to wobble a little. SportsGrid’s Paul Connor even predicted Toronto would bring him back on a short-term deal. But not everyone thinks Jays can pull this off.

In fact, according to reporter Joel Reuter, it’s the Oakland Athletics where he sits best.

“The Athletics have yet to make a significant outside addition to a starting staff that finished 27th in the majors with a 4.85 ERA last season, and even if Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales take another step forward, they would still benefit greatly from another proven arm.”

And well, the dots do connect. It’s not just about the need but also about history. Chris Bassitt’s career took shape in Oakland, and after bouncing early and battling injuries, it was with the A’s that he became dependable. Since his return in 2018, he has been one of those quiet forces who pile up starts and keep his team in games. So he would help the A’s.

Because while the Athletics offense showed promise, the same can’t be said about the rotation. It was dead, unreliable, and thin. The bassist’s ability to generate the ground balls and limit the hard contact could be what stops the bleeding.

Now, at 37 years old, of course, Bassitt is not looking for stardom or long-term security, but rather a fit. And the Oakland Athletics is one place where his story could get a picture-perfect full-circle moment.

Meanwhile, Jays Co. just lost a cornerstone to their rivals!

If the Blue Jays blink, the Yankees could strike them hard

The New York Yankees have been quiet this offseason, and impatience is only growing among fans. This is a franchise that’s built on making big moves, and that big splash has not come yet. But things might change because they might get one of the biggest players this off-season, and that’s Bo Bichette.

Now, Bo in pinstripes seems like a bold and maybe unlikely decision, given that he himself wants to go back to the Toronto Blue Jays. But as unlikely as it sounds, it is not so far-fetched. And a lot of it depends on what the Toronto Blue Jays really do next, particularly with Kyle Tucker.

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There is a growing belief that if the Jays manage to land Tucker, then Bichette would be the odd man out. And if that happens, then the Yankees have the slim window to pounce, and there might be no better way to needle a division rival than to steal their cornerstone player.

The Yankees’ own infield situation plays a huge role here when it comes to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Now, Brian Cashman has made it clear that he is open-minded to listening to trade inquiries surrounding Chisholm Jr. With him just one year away from free agency, moving him should not be shocking, more so if they get Bichette.

And yes, Bichette is not perfect, and he posted a minus-13 outs above average last season, but given the Yanks are firm that Volpe would remain as shortstop, this is where the second base comes into the picture. Sliding Bichette over would take pressure off Volpe and keep his bat in the lineup.

It surely won’t be cheap or straightforward. However, if the Jays let Bichette walk and the Yankees are serious about changing the narrative that the team is broke, which even former players are saying, then maybe this is the move they should make.