The Matchup Matrix: Part 3
Using Plane Points to uncover which hitters and pitchers truly have each other’s number
Jasson Domínguez vs. Chris Bassitt
In part three of this series, we explore another intra-division matchup, this time between New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt.
Domínguez, still in the early stages of his career, contrasts sharply with Bassitt, a seasoned right-hander who is seemingly still finding creative ways to get MLB hitters out. Despite being at very different points in their careers, their brief head-to-head history already tells a clear story, one that has been heavily tilted in Domínguez’s favor.
During the 2025 regular season, the two faced off 11 times across four games, a small but telling sample in which Domínguez clearly held the upper hand. They had not faced each other before 2025.
Domínguez averaged 78 Plane Points per game against Bassitt, the second highest of any matchup pairing in 2025, with a minimum of 10 plate appearances. Bassitt is one of only two pitchers Domínguez has faced at least 10 times in his career, the other being Brayan Bello of the Boston Red Sox. From Bassitt’s perspective, this matchup ranks as his worst since 2015. The next closest is Rafael Devers, who has averaged 59.54 Plane Points per game (20 PA) against him.
In traditional terms, Domínguez has gone 7-for-11 against Bassitt with three extra-base hits, three RBI, and just one strikeout. He does not have more than three hits against any other pitcher in his career.
It is also worth noting that Domínguez, a switch-hitter, has consistently performed better from the left side. For his career, he has hit .269 versus right-handed pitchers compared to .186 versus left-handers. In 2025, he hit .274 against righties and .204 against lefties, ranking among the bottom 15 hitters with at least 100 plate appearances versus left-handed pitching.
How Bassitt Attacks Domínguez
Domínguez has seen 32 pitches from Bassitt, who, true to form, has not shied away from using his full arsenal. Although the sample remains small, the patterns across these plate appearances still offer a useful glimpse into how Domínguez’s swing decisions and Bassitt’s pitch mix have interacted so far.
Bassitt has leaned heavily on his sinker, consistent with how he typically approaches left-handed hitters. His three most-used pitches to them (sinkers, cutters, and curveballs) all appeared in this matchup. Yet location seems to have been the issue. Of the five pitches Bassitt threw in the heart of the zone, three were turned into hits. Overall, about 60% of his pitches to Domínguez landed in the strike zone, and 85% of those that missed were uncompetitive and went for balls.
Even with the number of hittable pitches, Domínguez has shown that he can do damage regardless of pitch type. His seven hits have come on four different pitches, demonstrating his ability to adjust and capitalize on mistakes.
The slider, in particular, has hurt Bassitt. Domínguez produced two extra-base hits on three swings against it. His success on that pitch extended beyond this matchup, as he hit .302 (13-for-43) against sliders from right-handers in 2025. Bassitt rarely used his slider this season, throwing it only 3% of the time overall, but when he did, hitters went 7-for-14. Both extra-base hits he allowed on the pitch came off Domínguez, both on missed spots left up in the zone. One of them, a home run on July 23, perfectly captured that dynamic.
Bassitt relied much more on his cutter, using it 21% of the time against lefties, and it was generally effective. Left-handed hitters batted just .218 against it, the fourth-lowest average among pitchers with at least 75 plate appearances by left-handed hitters ending in a cutter, trailing only Kenley Jansen, Merrill Kelly, and Drew Rasmussen. Still, Domínguez handled that pitch well. Against right-handed cutters in 2025, he hit .414, and one of his hits off Bassitt came on a cutter that caught a little too much of the plate.
A Strong Showing
Domínguez’s best showing against Bassitt came on July 3, when he recorded 130.75 Plane Points, the third-highest single-game total against any pitcher in 2025 and the third-best performance of his young career against a single pitcher.
While the box score shows an impressive 4-for-5 performance with two extra-base hits and one strikeout, Plane Points adds more detail to the quality of his game. Domínguez produced three line drives with expected batting averages of at least .752, three hard-hit balls over 95 mph (including one over 106 mph), and two fast swings exceeding 75 mph in bat speed. He also showed aggression early in counts, turning multiple first-pitch swings into hits.
Although he did not drive in any runs that day, his consistent quality of contact made it one of his most productive games of the season. His triple from that game showcased all the traits mentioned above, from his quick swing to his elite sprint speed.
Looking Ahead
Whether these two face each other again remains uncertain. Bassitt is nearing the end of his career and will enter free agency after the 2025 season, while Domínguez is still looking to establish himself as a major league player.
If their first set of encounters is any indication, Domínguez will welcome another chance at Bassitt, and Bassitt will be hoping for a very different outcome next time. Still, with only a handful of matchups between them, future meetings could look very different once both sides adjust. For now, though, Domínguez’s early success stands out as one of the more telling small-sample stories of 2025.
All external data courtesy of Baseball Savant and Baseball Reference