Impact In response to Bassitt's early exit in the second inning of Tuesday's loss to the White Sox when he was struck in the face by a line drive, the Athletics will call up Paul Blackburn from Triple-A Las Vegas to aid an overtaxed pitching staff, according to Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. Blackburn will start Wednesday's game in Chicago, while the other four members of the Athletics' rotation will each be pushed back a day in the pitching schedule. Per Steve Berman of The Athletic, Bassitt's right eye remains swollen shut as of Wednesday, but Oakland is hopeful the swelling will subside enough within the next few days for him to undergo surgery next week. Even if the six-week recovery timeline proves accurate, Bassitt will need time to get stretched out following the shutdown, so he's seemingly unlikely to pitch again during the regular season.
AUGUST 18, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
