Bassitt 'dodged a bullet,' back at Coliseum

OAKLAND -- During a stretch in which the A’s have struggled to find many positives, Saturday morning gave them a big reason to smile.

Oakland's All-Star ace Chris Bassitt returned to the Coliseum before Saturday’s game against the Yankees, marking his first time back since undergoing facial surgery on Tuesday in Chicago to repair fractured bones caused by a line drive that hit him in the face on Aug. 17.

As expected, Bassitt’s appearance was a little different than normal. Just a few days removed from the surgery, his right eye still had some redness from the impact and was mostly swollen shut. Based on the fact that there were no issues with his brain or eyesight from the incident, though, Bassitt said he considers himself fortunate.

“All things considered, I somewhat dodged a bullet,” Bassitt said. “The prognosis going forward is looking great. I’m excited to be as lucky as I was.”

Bassitt has a hard time recalling getting hit by the line drive, mainly because he doesn’t remember it. In his mind, that’s a good thing. He also hasn’t watched a replay of it, and he does not plan to ever do so.

“I don’t remember getting hit and I don’t remember throwing the pitch,” Bassitt said. “But I remember everything else. There’s probably a five-second spot in there that I don’t remember anything, and, honestly, I think it’s a gift from God. I don’t want to remember it.

“I don’t really have any concern about getting back on a mound. I don’t have a fear or something in my head telling me this is about to happen, because I haven’t really lived it. I don’t remember it. I’m glad that kind of worked out the way it did.”

Of course, Bassitt getting back on the mound is secondary for the A’s at this point. They’re just happy to see him around the team again. With Oakland entering Saturday scuffling through a six-game losing streak, seeing one of the club's leaders in good spirits is certainly a lift.

It also goes the other way, with Bassitt feeling an emotional lift from seeing his teammates again.

“I’m coming to the field and want to be here for them,” Bassitt said. “But I also need to be here for me, so I don’t really think about this stuff. I’m glad they got a boost when I came, but I got a boost, too. Sitting in a hotel room for a week isn’t the best.”

For Bassitt, the focus right now is just getting back to living a normal, everyday life. Simple things such as being able to eat solid foods now become big victories, something he was only able to return to a couple of days ago.

With just over a month left in the regular season, there might not be enough time for Bassitt to make another start. A’s manager Bob Melvin mentioned a possible relief role for the right-hander around the final week of the season, but he admitted, “We’re getting ahead of ourselves when we sit here and try to put together a schedule or forecast of when he’ll be back this year.”

If Bassitt has his way, though, he’ll be back on that mound for at least one final appearance to help the A’s playoff push in any way he can.

“The doctors made a mistake in telling me I’m gonna be OK in a couple of weeks,” Bassitt said. “When they said that, I said, 'All right, we’re rocking.' Obviously, the team is going to do everything to take care of me. If everything progresses the way it should, I want to be back before the end of the season. Hopefully, I am.”