A’s Bassitt named Opening Day starting pitcher
Chris Bassitt will start on Opening Day for the A’s against the Houston Astros, manager Bob Melvin announced on Thursday. He will go head-tohead with Astros ace Zack Greinke.
Melvin broke the news to Bassitt, though it wasn’t much of a surprise.
“He smiled,” Melvin said. “He kind of knew. Based on what he accomplished last year, I think he probably would have been surprised if he wasn’t the guy. He was appreciative. This kind of starts a different level for Chris Bassitt.”
Bassitt is coming off a career year in which he posted a 2.29 ERA over 11 starts for the truncated 2020 season. The 32-year-old started coming into his own during the 2019 season, when he posted a 3.81 ERA in 25 starts, helping propel the wild card-bound A’s team down the stretch.
He’s been just as sharp this spring, putting together a 1.74 ERA over three starts with 12 strikeouts and two walks.
Melvin said his spring performance didn’t factor much into the decision. Bassitt was a clear frontrunner to take the Open
ing Day starter job from the moment pitchers and catchers reported in February.
“Big shocker, right?” Melvin joked when he announced the news. “Spring training for guys like him — this is the first year he hasn’t had to dig for a starting job — it’s not so much about spring training performance. It’s about what he accomplished last year. And everyone would probably agree he’s the man for the job.”
The right-hander struggled with his role with the A’s since his arrival via the Chicago White Sox in a 2014 trade. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016, Bassitt
toiled in uncertainty without a solid spot in the rotation. At times he was a swingman, working out of the bullpen with some starts here and there. He battled wanting to be a starter with the reality that a starting spot wasn’t
immediately there for the taking. Bassitt has said he started to doubt his abilities as a pitcher.
“I look back two, three years ago after (Tommy John surgery) and I questioned if I was ever going to make it back,” Bassitt said
on Thursday. “I thought the end of my career was a lot closer.”
Many meetings with Melvin and pitching coach Scott Emerson set his mind straight. They took the time to simplify the process for Bassitt, he said. Their guidance helped him accept an undefined role in 2019, and Bassitt started to thrive and find his confidence. The mental hurdle has contributed to his come-up.
“Just accepting the fact he’s a good major league pitcher,” Melvin said. “There was a time he struggled with being a reliever, a starter, going back and forth. He realized that you earn your stripes. And he earned his stripes.”
Bassitt is scheduled to pitch Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.