A’s manager gives medical update on Chris Bassitt

Oakland A’s manager Bob Melvin provided a medical update Tuesday on the status of pitcher Chris Bassitt.

Bassitt was hit in the head by a line drive during the second inning of his start against the Chicago White Sox. The A’s only shared that Bassitt was “conscious and aware” and on his way to the hospital.

But Melvin shared some more information following the game.

Melvin said that Bassitt is conscious and was the entire time.

“We don’t think the eye is a problem at this point. It felt like it was below (the eye). He’s got some cuts; they had to do some stitches. He’s in a scan, and we’ll know more about potential fractures or whatever tomorrow, or later tonight,” Melvin said.

Bassitt was 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA entering the game and among the top pitchers in the AL. His A’s lost 9-0, but the outcome was not the focus for many.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said after the game that the contest meant much less given what happened to Bassitt.

Both team’s concern for Chris made the game’s importance a distant second.

— Tony La Russa (@TonyLaRussa) August 18, 2021

Other players from the White Sox added a similar sentiment.

Jake Lamb on Chris Bassitt getting hit: "Yeah, it’s a lot more than baseball at that point. It’s a friend, it’s an old teammate. Any time you get hit in the head like that, it’s a very very scary situation."

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) August 18, 2021