Bullpen help arrives

There were times over the past year when Chris Bassitt wondered if he would make it back to the big leagues following his 2016 Tommy John surgery.

“To be honest, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to get here,” said Bassitt, who was in Oakland’s rotation in 2015. “I’d never really struggled before in baseball, and last year I was getting beat around left and right — hits and runs and people I feel, ‘I should be getting you out and you’re hitting home runs off me.’ Then you think, ‘Oh my goodness ... there’s no way I’m going to play again.’ ”

Bassitt, 29, was recalled Friday along with right-hander Josh Lucas to provide the A’s with bullpen help after Oakland relievers worked 12-plus innings Wednesday.

Bassitt, who pitched five innings his last time out at Triple-A Nashville, described himself as a “hybrid long guy.”

“I don’t care anymore about role,” he said. “... I got into that trap in spring training where it made me upset that I didn’t really have a role, but it was unprofessional on my part to want a role. Who cares? When they call your name, just be ready.”

Bassitt allowed only one earned run in 13 innings at Nashville, and Lucas did not allow a hit in four games and 42⁄3 innings. The 27-year-old, acquired from St. Louis on March 31 for minor-league right-hander Casey Meisner, also did not allow a run in nine games and 111⁄3 innings this spring.

“Funky sidearm guy,” Bassitt said. “He’ll pound the zone, come at you, but yeah, some weird stuff.”

Lucas made his A’s debut Friday, working the final three innings and allowing two hits and a walk.

With Yusmeiro Petit returning from emergency family leave Saturday, a reliever will be sent down; considering Lucas’ workload Friday, he’s likely the odd man out.

A roster opening was cleared Thursday when right-hander Lou Trivino was sent out; he would not have been available Friday after working three innings Wednesday. Lefty Danny Coulombe, who allowed seven runs in his past five outings, was sent down Friday. Briefly: Starter Paul Blackburn played catch Friday for the first time since being shut down in March with a forearm strain. “Everything feels good and normal,” he said. “I’m really happy with it; excited to throw a baseball again.”... Right-hander James Kaprielian, acquired in the Sonny Gray deal last summer, is scheduled to throw to hitters Saturday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year.