SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Chris Bassitt and the Baltimore Orioles finalized their $18.5 million contract Friday.
After the past three seasons with Toronto, Bassitt is staying in the AL East with a deal that includes a $3 million signing bonus. He can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses if he starts at least 27 games.
Bassitt went 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 32 regular-season games for the American League champion Blue Jays last year. He had a 1.04 ERA with 10 strikeouts in seven relief appearances during the postseason.
An 11-year veteran who will turn 37 on Feb. 22, Bassitt has pitched at least 157 1/3 innings and made at least 27 starts in each of the past five seasons. Only once in the last eight seasons has he posted an ERA above 4.00. He has an 83-65 career record with a 3.64 ERA while pitching for the Chicago White Sox (2014), Oakland (2015-16, 2018-21), the New York Mets (2022) and Toronto (2023-25).
Bassitt joins a Baltimore rotation that includes Shane Baz, Trevor Rogers and Zach Eflin. Baz was acquired in a December trade with Tampa Bay, and Eflin re-signed with the Orioles for a $10 million, one-year contract.
After two straight years in the playoffs, Baltimore finished last in the AL East with a 75-87 record in 2025, when its starters ranked 24th in the majors with a 4.65 ERA.
The Orioles made a big splash in free agency when they signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a $155 million, five-year contract in December. They traded right-hander Grayson Rodriguez in a deal for outfielder Taylor Ward, then later added Baz and brought back Eflin.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's World Series, Oct. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
Benoit Richaud is the buzziest coach/choreographer of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, grabbing attention for his quick national jacket changes as he moves from skater to skater this week on the sideboards of men’s figure skating.
During Friday’s free skate, Richaud made back-to-back changes, from Georgia’s white jacket with red trim as he cheered Nika Egadze to a USA blue puffer as Maxim Naumov took the ice. Later, it was Canada’s burgundy lululemon jacket and France’s winter white.
In all, the 38-year-old Frenchman is coaching 16 skaters, singles and pairs, from 13 countries at the Winter Games, making his face a familiar one to anyone tuning into the kiss-and-cry as skaters await their marks.
Richaud is known as a choreographer, but the skaters he works with speak about him more in terms of a motivational expert.
Naumov, who made his Olympic debut after losing his parents in a plane crash in January 2025, said that Richaud “was a big part of the journey this year.’’ That included Richaud’s training camp “that really just changed my perspective on skating in general,'' Naumov said.
“Yes, he does choreography, and everybody knows that, but the insight he offers each of his students … He motivates me a lot to just be the best that I could be,’’ Naumov said.
Richaud’s skaters are well aware of his popularity, and seem to relish in the social media posts of the coach who wears many colors.
“He’s an amazing coach. He is very popular,’’ said Egadze, who said working with Richaud has given him a fresh outlook.
“He tells me that I need to believe in myself, I need to show passion on the ice, and push it to the end,’’ the Georgian skater said.
On Friday, Richaud also choreographed Mexican skater Donovan Carrillo’s free skate in a behind-the-scenes role.
“I feel like he lets everyone shine in their own way, which is pretty nice, because I also feel like he respects my style and he works around my style and he doesn’t try to like, change my personality,’’ Carrillo said.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Nika Egadze of Georgia reacts to his scores after competing during the figure skating men's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Maxim Naumov of the United States reacts to his scores after competing during the men's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Stephen Gogolev of Canada, right, reacts to his scores after competing during the men's free skate program in figure skating while sitting next to choreographer Benoit Richaud, left, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
