Back in March, it was unclear if Chris Bassitt would even make the Oakland A’s rotation. With a few veterans locked in, and a couple hot prospects vying for spots, Bassitt found himself in his familiar home on the bubble.
But by Opening Day in late July, rookie A.J. Puk had been shelved with a shoulder injury, and fellow rookie Jesús Luzardo was delayed due to a coronavirus positive. That those two youngsters were already front-runners for the rotation spoke to their immense potential, but it also demonstrated how Bassitt himself seemed to be the odd man out anytime any other possible option arose.