Bassitt throws 7 sharp innings for A’s.
Ex-White Sox right-hander shuts down his former team with a formidable fastball
CHICAGO >> There is an origin story to Chris Bassitt’s recent dominant stretch, and it can be traced back to a conversation with fellow A’s rotation mates Mike Fiers and Brett Anderson following a drubbing at the lowly Seattle Mariners’ hands on July 6.
The veteran pitchers made their point clear: Throw that changeup more.
“Sometimes, really bad outings are exactly what you need,” Bassitt said. “And I truly believe that the Seattle thing was just exactly what I needed, a kick in the butt to say ‘Hey, you need a changeup,’ and today it kind of saved me. I got a couple big outs on a changeup.”
Bassitt is referring to his seven shutout-inning performance against the Chicago White Sox that led the A’s to a 2-0 seriesclinching win on Sunday afternoon.
It wasn’t the changeup that led Bassitt to his eighth win of the season, per se — though, there is something to be said for the mental space it occupies in a hitter’s head. Sunday afternoon, it was all about the fastball, a su
perb sinker Bassitt threw upwards of 95 mph.
“It was the best fastball we’ve seen from him this year,” manager Bob Melvin said.
Bassitt agreed. “That’s not much of a debate,” he said. “That saved me today because I had nothing else besides a fastball.”
Bassitt struck out seven White Sox and extended his scoreless streak against his former team to 13 innings. And best believe that streak against the team that traded him is dripping with revenge.
“Every time I pitch against these guys for my career I’m going to try to prove to them that they made a mistake,” Bassitt said. “That’s the reality of it. Anyone that says different is lying.”
This Chicago chapter in Bassitt’s revival tour is crucial as Sean Manaea and, perhaps, Jesus Luzardo inch ever closer as possible additions to the rotation. Bassitt has options, and would be the pure technical choice at a demotion either to the minor leagues or maybe to an overworked bullpen (Yusmeiro Petit’s 58 appearances leads the league).
But now the thought of moving Bassitt sounds preposterous. Since that talk with Fiers and Anderson, he’s recorded a 2.00 ERA (8 earned runs in 36 innings) and walked nine batters with 33 strikeouts. Over that span, he ranks with the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard (1.91) and Cleveland’s Zach Plesach (2.00). MATT OLSON, SLIGHT GIOLITO OWNAGE >> Alright, let’s be clear, there really aren’t any players who have ownage on White Sox starter Lucas Giolito.
But Olson’s resume got a little more beef.
The plan against an unhittable Giolito, it seemed, was to gun for the fences. The numbers back that up; Giolito struck out a careerhigh 13 batters. And the A’s dugout was well aware of how much afternoon air their bats caught.
“I went and asked Bushy (hitting coach Darren Bush), ‘Hey, did we strike out today?’” Melvin laughed. “It’s a lot better feeling when you strikeout that many times and you win the game than if you lose it . ... At least we didn’t have to run down the line too many times, pull any hamstrings.”
But, for a brief moment, those swings connected. First Matt Chapman launched a 1-1 fastball down and away into the opposite field fence. But right fielder Jon Jay was able to whip his glove at the ball, forcing Chapman into a two-bagger as opposed to a home run.
Olson took the box with the most success against Giolito on this A’s team: Two hits, including a home run, and two RBIs with two strikeouts.
“There are certain guys you feel like you have the best chance, he goes into it 2 for 3 with a homer,” Melvin said. “Few guys see (Giolito) and have those kind of numbers, especially recently and this year. So yeah, you don’t want to put a lot of pressure on that guy, but you look up and down the numbers against him, none of them are very good. There’s a lot of strikeouts involved.”
Olson was just trying to find something he could lift to advance Chapman to third. He found a treasure instead.
“Was looking for something inside. I knew he was feeling good with fastball so wanted to be on time with something,” Olson said. “But got a changeup that he left out a little too middle and was able to extend on it.”
Olson’s two-run homer were the only runs the A’s got, and because of Bassitt the only ones they’d need.
“We knew going in Giolito would be tough,” Melvin said. “And thats how you beat him, string a couple hits against him and hit a homer.”