A’s Bassitt hoping to return

OAKLAND, CALIF.» His right eye still swollen and bruised after being hit in the head by a line drive last week, Oakland Athletics ace Chris Bassitt is intent on pitching again this season.

That might be difficult considering there’s barely more than a month left in the season, but Bassitt isn’t ready to rule anything out.

“The doctors made a mistake in telling me that I’m going to be OK in a couple weeks,” Bassitt said while sitting in the A’s dugout before Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees.

“When they said that, I said, ‘All right, we’re rocking.’ Obviously the front office and (manager Bob Melvin) and those guys are going to do everything to take care of me. But if everything progresses the way it should, I want to be back before the end of the season and hopefully I am,” he said.

Cubs put Bote on IL. CHICAGO» The Chicago Cubs placed infielder David Bote on the 10day injured list after he sprained his right ankle when he stepped on a ball during batting practice.

Bote got hurt before Friday’s 17-13 loss to the White Sox. The ball was obscured by some white lettering in foul territory at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Pirates release Polanco. PITTSBURGH» Gregory Polanco hasn’t been part of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ long-term plans for a while. Now, he’s no longer a part of their present, either.

The Pirates released the struggling 29-year-old right fielder, cutting ties with the last remaining player from the group that helped guide the franchise to three straight postseason berths from 201315.