Sox win, but 'dark cloud' of Oakland pitcher's injury hangs over game
Exit velocity has been all the rage in Major League Baseball the past several seasons, and it's a handy gauge to track how hard home runs are traveling.
Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, White Sox center fielder Brian Goodwin hit a 100 mph line drive up the middle in the second inning and it hit Athletics starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on the right side of the head.
In a frightening scene, Bassitt immediately hit the ground and was attended to by an Oakland trainer and other personnel.
Holding a towel to the side of his head, the 32-year-old pitcher was helped to a cart and driven off through the center field gates.
Later in the game, the Athletics announced Bassitt “is conscious and aware, and is on his way to the hospital.”
Afterward, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said: “We don't think the eye is a problem at this point. Felt like it was below it. He's got some cuts and used some stitches. He's in a scan and we'll know about potential fractures tomorrow or later tonight.”
The Sox beat Oakland for the second straight night, 9-0, but it was a tough game for both teams.
“There was a dark cloud around that game,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “You can play well, but it was a very depressing result on the A's just because it's tough to play a ballgame when you see that kind of injury to your teammate.”
Bassitt left the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the second. Burch Smith came on in relief and gave up a 2-run single to Andrew Vaughn and a 3-run homer to Jake Lamb as the White Sox quickly broke the game open.
Lamb said he had trouble focusing at the plate on the homer. He played for the Athletics last season and is close with Bassitt.
“It's a lot more than baseball at that point,” Lamb said. “It's a friend, an old teammate and anytime you get hit in the head like that, it's a very scary situation. I'm just praying he's all right.”
In the fourth inning, Jose Abreu hit a 3-run homer and Tim Anderson added an RBI triple in the sixth.
It was an impressive win for the Sox, but Bassitt's health is much more important.
“There isn't anything scarier than that,” La Russa said. “He's the No. 1 concern. Certainly hope he caught a break and he's OK.”
Starting in place of Carlos Rodon, who is on the 10-day injured list with a sore throwing (left) shoulder, Reynaldo Lopez was brilliant over 5 scoreless innings. He allowed 1 hit and 2 walks while throwing a season-high 66 pitches.
The right-hander spent the first two months of the year with Class AAA Charlotte after struggling with the Sox in 2020 (1-3, 6.49 ERA).
Lopez is now 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 11 games (3 starts) this season.
“I think his stuff is back to that first couple of years you saw him here in a White Sox uniform,” Rodon said. “Pretty electric, electric fastball, changeup and the breaking ball. You can tell he put the work in and it's been a pleasure to watch him the few outings he's had.
“The stuff has been there. He's throwing the ball really well. It's fun to watch.”
Bassitt, who broke in with the White Sox in 2014 before being sent to Oakland in the Jeff Samardzija trade, is leading the American League with 12 wins this season.
The right-hander came into Tuesday night's game with an 8-0 road record.