A's All-Star Starter Chris Bassitt Suffers Facial Fracture; CT Scan, Vision Normal
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Oakland Athletics All-Star starter Chris Bassitt suffered a facial fracture that will require surgery after a horrific play in which he was struck in the face by a line drive off the bat of Brian Goodwin.
The team placed Bassitt on injured reserve after he was released from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center.
Bassitt received stitches for two facial lacerations and was diagnosed with a displaced tripod fracture in his right cheek that will require surgery. An exam of his right eye was normal for vision and no other damage is currently noted in the eye or the orbital bone.
In addition, a head CT scan revealed no further injury.
"We are grateful to the White Sox, their medical staff, and the doctors and nurses at Rush for their excellent care," the A's said in a news release. "We'll have more information on Chris as it becomes available."
With two on and no outs in the second inning against the Chicago White Sox, Bassitt threw an 89.5 mph cut fastball that Goodwin lined right back up the middle. Bassitt went down on the mound right after he was hit, holding his head, and his teammates quickly waved to the dugout for assistance.
As players on each side looked on, Bassitt was attended to by an Oakland trainer and other personnel before he was helped into the back of a cart and driven off the field. A's center fielder Starling Marte had his hands on his head as Bassitt passed by him.
In a tweet, the A's said he is "conscious and aware" and has been taken to the hospital.
The 32-year-old Bassitt, who broke into the majors with the White Sox in 2014, is in the midst of a breakout season for Oakland. He was 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 24 starts heading into the game, leading the AL in victories.
