Some great news came out of the Athletics on Saturday, with a decent chance starter Chris Bassitt could pitch this season in multiple games.
Over the course of the last week, Bassitt has been throwing from flat ground and has been throwing a football during workouts to test out his peripherals. On Saturday, Bassitt threw a bullpen for the first time since he was struck in the face with a line drive on Aug. 17 against the Chicago White Sox.
A’s manager Bob Melvin told reporters on Saturday, including MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos, Bassitt will travel with the team when they head to Kansas City for a three-game series against the Royals, in which he will throw an additional bullpen on Wednesday with a chance Bassitt could pitch in multiple games before the end of the season.
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Talk about amazing news.
Bassitt underwent facial surgery on Aug. 24 to stabilize and plate the tripod fracture along with other small fractured bones.
A’s head trainer Nick Paparesta said Bassitt would be “slow to go” initially following the surgery, which was the case, but the starter has been itching to get back. He even texted NBC Sports California’s Dallas Braden the day after the incident saying he would be throwing a bullpen within a few weeks.
And here he is.
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His presence alone in the clubhouse has been valuable. Being around his team has offered a morale boost.
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If Bassitt is reintroduced into the starting rotation, it’ll be a Godsend. He’s become a leader and one of the A’s most consistent starters, boasting a 3.22 ERA with 154 strikeouts in 151 innings. That's good enough for a 1.05 WHIP in 25 games.