A’s pitcher Bassitt out of hospital
It could have been worse. Athletics right-hander Chris Bassitt suffered a fractured right cheekbone when he was struck by a line drive off the bat of White Sox outfielder Brian Goodwin in the second inning Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field, but there was a collective sigh of relief around baseball when he was released from Rush University Medical Center.
Bassitt will require surgery, but his vision is normal and a CT scan revealed no further injury. The blood that flowed after the 100 mph liner struck him near the eye, adding worry and tension to a scary scene that saw trainers and emergency medical personnel rushing to his aid at the mound, resulted from two facial cuts for which Bassitt needed stitches.
‘‘We are grateful to the White Sox, their medical staff and the doctors and nurses at Rush for their excellent care,’’ the A’s said in a statement.
Bassitt, an All-Star, Cy Young Award contender and the A’s ace, is 12-4 with a 3.22 ERA.
‘‘That’s a tremendous relief,’’ Sox manager Tony La Russa said. ‘‘It could be worse, and you’re very thankful.’’
Sox closer Liam Hendriks, who played with Bassitt on the A’s, said his wife was sitting with Bassitt’s wife during the game and guided her through the ballpark so she could ride with her husband in the ambulance.
‘‘Thoughts and prayers,’’ Hendriks said. ‘‘I was texting him this morning . . . . He was joking around. We’re just thankful there’s no lingering issues or anything like that going on.’’
‘‘From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to thank the White Sox and Athletics staff, front offices, and owners,’’ Bassitt wrote on Twitter. ‘‘The support my family and I’ve received has been overwhelming.’’
Bassitt also thanked the hospital and its staff.
‘‘God is good,’’ he tweeted. ‘‘Can’t wait to get back!’’
No-tippin’ Hendriks
Hendriks said he was tipping his pitches when he gave up two home runs last Thursday and another Sunday against the Yankees. He wasn’t when he struck out the side Monday against the A’s.
‘‘[Sox coaches] realized I was signaling, tipping what pitch I was throwing,’’ Hendriks said. ’’We made that adjustment, and the last outing there was good. We rectified that, for the most part.
‘‘It’s still going to be a work in progress, but now it’s a matter of getting into that second-nature habit of making sure I don’t do the same thing over and over again. Making sure everything looks exactly the same coming out of the hand.’’
Hendriks said his wife told him after the game Sunday that he was tipping his pitches.
‘‘Turns out she was right, which [ticks] me off to no end,’’ Hendriks said. ‘‘She’s always right.’’
Orioles claim Burdi
Right-hander Zack Burdi, whom the Sox designated for assignment Monday, was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. Drafted by the Sox in the first round in 2016 as a potential closer, Burdi was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.
Cactus League schedule
The Sox’ 2022 Cactus League schedule opens Feb. 26 against the A’s. It will feature two spring-training games against the Cubs, plus exhibitions against the Cubs on March 28-29. Opening Day is March 31 against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.