OAKLAND, Calif. — Genoa grad and current Oakland Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt was named the MLB American League pitcher of the month for September.
During that stretch, Bassitt had a 0.34 earned run average, struck out 25 batters, and in 26.2 innings, only gave up one run in four starts.
Up until September, he held a 2-2 record with a 3.72 ERA.
“Everything kind of clicked for me after that start in Houston, where we had the protests and then the COVID and all that,” Bassitt said. I was able to throw like three or four bullpens. It was basically something that you really can’t do in the regular season.
“I was able to step back and look at what I was doing and how I could improve. We took full advantage of it and kind of manipulated some pitches around, and ever since we’ve been on kind of a roll.”
Bassitt ends the season with a 2.29 ERA, finishing with 55 strikeouts and only 17 walks.
He will be the starting pitcher for Game 2 of the AL Wild Card round against the team who drafted him in 2011, the Chicago White Sox.
