Mets Rumors: Chris Bassitt Acquired in Trade with Athletics for JT Ginn, Adam Oller

The New York Mets are wasting no time adding to their rotation following a lengthy lockout that prohibited teams from making roster moves. 

The Mets are reportedly acquiring Oakland Athletics right-hander Chris Bassitt, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Prospects JT Ginn and Adam Oller are being sent to the A's in exchange, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. 

The move marks the first of what is expected to be many in a fire sale from the A's, who are expected to slash payroll ahead of the 2022 campaign. A pair of executives told USA Today's Bob Nightengale that the A's were looking to cut payroll to as little as an MLB-low $50 million for the 2022 season.

Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Ramon Laureano and Lou Trivino are among Oakland's other trade candidates. 

Bassitt is set for his final year of arbitration before becoming an unrestricted free agent and is expected to make $8.8 million in 2022, per Spotrac. The 33-year-old spent six of his seven seasons in Oakland after beginning his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox in 2014. 

Bassitt has emerged as one of the top arms in baseball over the last few years, earning an All-Star selection in 2021 and finishing 10th in American League Cy Young voting after posting a 3.15 ERA, 1.055 WHIP and 159 strikeouts in 157.1 innings across 27 starts. 

Adding Bassitt likely means the Mets will place David Peterson and Tylor Megill in the minors. Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker join Bassitt in what is expected to be an impressive rotation. 

After losing Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard, adding an arm was a priority for the Mets. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported March 8 that the franchise was interested in adding another starting pitcher, as well as a left-handed hitter. 

As for the A's and the players they are receiving, Ginn was New York's fifth-ranked prospect behind Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Matt Allan. The 22-year-old spent the 2021 season with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones Low-A Southeast, posting a 3.03 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 92 innings across 18 starts. 

Oller, meanwhile, has been playing in the minors since 2017 and spent the 2021 campaign with triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton, posting a 3.45 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 120 innings across 23 starts.