“It’s always been a mess,” Chris Bassitt reflects on Athletics relocation process, admits feeling sad over ongoing saga

The Oakland Athletics will be moving away from the city after the 2024 season.

Chris Bassitt (Image via Imago)

With just few days remaining for the start of the 2024 MLB season, the spotlight will once again be on the top teams as they battle it out for ultimate glory. However, one team on whom the focus will be more is Chris Bassitt‘s former team, the Oakland Athletics.

The Oakland Athletics have become the center of attention in recent years for unwanted reasons. The team’s relocation saga has seen several shots being taken at owner John Fisher and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. Reflecting on this process, Bassitt said, “It’s always been a mess“.

This year would be the last year where the A’s play at the Coliseum Stadium in Oakland. After that the team will find some temporary home before moving away to Las Vegas in 2028.

While appearing at a recent episode of Baseball Today with Chris Rose, Bassitt was asked about his feeling toward the club. “Does it break your heart to see what’s happening out there?” Rose asked to which the pitcher replied, “Yeah“.

When I was in 2014, 2015, 2016, we were having constant meetings about either a new stadium or this is what we're going to do and it was like beating the old drum over and over and over and over again. I don't even know. Its' been a mess. It's always been a mess, like ever-- like for ten years now.

Chris Bassitt on Oakland Athletics’ relocation saga.

Related: LA Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani target of reported bomb threat ahead of Seoul Series in South Korea

Chris Bassitt blasts MLB for ‘alarming’ arm injuries to pitchers

While injuries are said to be part of the game, in the past few season several pitchers have come down with huge injuries which often sees them require surgeries. Chris Bassitt has now blasted the MLB for this ‘alarming‘ arm injuries as he believes MLB has given huge preference to pitch velocity.

As the name suggests, this term usually signals the speed a pitcher can throw. Having a higher velocity is something pitchers are training for these days. Bassitt has now expressed concerns regarding this.

Chris Bassitt (Image via Imago)
While speaking on a recent episode of ‘Chris Rose Sports‘ podcast, the Toronto Blue Jays star claimed that a natural human body is not made to throw 95-97 mph pitches every time. He further claimed that the league has now set a precedent that stats are more valuable than natural stuff.

MLB started a very, very, very big issue … decided that 97 [mph] was way, way, way more valuable than 91 ... Of course, injuries are going to happen at an alarming rate, because you have a natural human body that’s not made to say throw 95,96, 97 [mph]. They’re made to throw 91, 92. And that’s OK.

Chris Bassitt on pitchers getting hurt.

In recent times, several top pitchers such Jacob DeGrom, Justin Verlander and Shohei Ohtani have all underwent the Tommy John surgery after damaging their collateral ligament by throwing fast pitches. This statement from Chris Bassitt has now become a point of discussion in baseball community with many siding with his thoughts and attacking the league over this.