Oakland A’s Pitcher Hospitalized by Screaming Line Drive to the Head in Frightening Scene
A frightening scene took place in Chicago Tuesday night, when Oakland A’s starting pitcher Chris Bassitt was hit in the side of the head by a screaming line drive off the bat of White Sox hitter Brian Goodwin.
The line drive was clocked at 100.1 miles per hour and it appeared to hit Bassitt squarely on the right side of his face before he could get a glove on the ball. Bassitt immediately fell to the ground as trainers rushed to the mound. A’s manager Bob Melvin asked Bassitt’s teammate Matt Olson if he saw where the pitcher was hit, and Olson pointed to his ear.
Bassitt did not seem to lose consciousness as he moved around on the mound and was able to sit upright while being carted off the field. But the 32-year-old righthander kept a bloodied towel pressed tightly on his face the entire time.
During his managerial postgame presser, Melvin offered an update on the pitcher. “Bass is conscious. He was the entire time,” Melvin said. “We don’t think the eye is a problem at this point. It felt like it was below it. 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 (Wednesday).”
Wednesday morning, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported Bassitt will need facial surgery after fracturing his cheekbone and upper jawbone, but his vision was not impaired by the line drive.
News is encouraging on A’s ace Chris Bassitt. After being hit in the face with a liner last night he sustained a fractured cheekbone and maxilla (upper jawbone). Surgery will be in 3-5 days after swelling subsides. All other scans are clean. Most vitally: Vision is 20-20.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 18, 2021
The White Sox ended up winning by the score of 9-0, but there’s no doubt a dark cloud was cast over the entire game after Bassitt was struck in the second inning. Bassitt is having a career season for the A’s, being named to his first All-Star game in seven years as a major leaguer.
Watch above via NBC Sports California
