MINNEAPOLIS—Orioles manager Craig Albernaz hasn’t announced his plan for starting pitcher Chris Bassitt, who’s been on the 60-day injured list after back surgery.
The 37-year-old right-hander could pitch in the Tampa Bay series that begins on Friday night.
“I don’t feel my back. I feel normal,” Bassitt said on Tuesday before the Orioles played the Twins. “I have no doubts that the issue that we had was fixed.”
Bassitt had lumbar facet bone spur removal surgery.
He had three rehab starts for Triple-A Norfolk, Bassitt had a 1.98 ERA, allowing just three earned runs and eight hits in 13 2/3 innings.
“Physically, I felt really, really good,” he said. “Mechanically, it was just kind of creating a lot of bad habits that I created … Overall, I’m happy where I’m at. I’m ecstatic the way I feel.”
Bassitt, who last started for the Orioles on June 3rd, is 4-4 with a 5.27 ERA in 12 appearances, 10 starts. He’s hoping this surgery will enable him to be more effective.
“I couldn’t move in a correct manner,” he said. “I wish we figured this out earlier so we didn’t go through all this. I know how good I am and how good I can be. I know what I can bring to a team, and unfortunately this year, up until this point, I have not done that.
“I just wish I knew that surgery was an option … because I would have done it and figured it out.”
Since Bassitt last pitched for the Orioles, there have been huge changes. Dean Kremer, who allowed the Orioles one hit in seven innings in Minnesota’s 9-5 win on Monday, catcher Adley Rutschman, outfielder Taylor Ward and relief pitcher Tyler Wells have been traded by president of baseball operations Mike Elias.
“I thought Mike put a really good team together [at] the start of the season, and we didn’t hold our end of the bargain,” Bassitt said. “He did what’s best for the team. Obviously, you can argue, not now, but I mean for the future. I don’t have one ounce of so-called anger at Mike.
“I’m angry at myself. I’m angry at all the guys in here. We haven’t done a good job. We haven’t played a great brand of baseball. We haven’t played a clean brand of baseball, and we’re still in it. That’s the craziest part of this whole thing is you can be mad about the trade deadline and how the year has gone.
“It’s more so trying to accept what has happened and then just move forward and grow together and try to hold each other to the highest standards and win a bunch of games and get in the playoffs.”
Bassitt said in the past he’s complained to the press about moves he disagreed with, and he’s advised his teammates not to do that.
“It’s best to take your complaints and frustrations and whatever you have to Mike,” he said. “The issues that I see or the things that I see, those will be between me and Alby and Mike.”
Notes: The Orioles-Tampa Bay game on Monday night will begin at 6:05. It was originally scheduled for 6:40. … High-A Frederick outfielder Vance Honeycutt is being reinstated from the injured list on a planned progression. He’s been out with a strained left oblique muscle. … The Orioles released outfielder Douglas Hodo III and catcher Adam Retzbach from Double-A Chesapeake.
Orioles-Twins lineups:
Orioles
Gunnar Henderson-SS
Pete Alonso-1B
Jackson Holliday-2B
Tyler O’Neill-RF
Christian Encarnacion-Strand-3B
Coby Mayo-DH
Christian Franklin-CF
Jeremiah Jackson-LF
Yohel Pozo-C
Brandon Young-RHP
Twins
Trevor Larnach-LF
Ryan Jeffers-C
Josh Bell-DH
Kody Clemens-2B
Royce Lewis-1B
Brooks Lee-3B
Luke Keaschall-CF
Alan Roden-RF
Kaelen Culpepper-SS
Bailey Ober-RHP
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: [email protected]