The Oakland A’s called up outfielder Jake Smolinski on Sunday, the team announced. To make room on the roster, pitcher Chris Bassitt was optioned back to Triple-A Nashville.
Bassitt came up to Oakland on Saturday to make a spot start in place of a minorly injured Trevor Cahill. He delivered a strong performance, but the A’s lineup was itself shut out by the Royals in a losing effort.
Bassitt, Sat.: 7 ip, 1 run, 6 Ks, 1 BB, 3 hits, 0 HR
It can’t be ignored that Bassitt’s success came against Kansas City, whose lineup is one of the worst in MLB, and also came at home in the Coliseum, where scoring has been more or less illegal all year for both the A’s and their visitors.