Oakland A’s: Chris Bassitt blames himself for ALDS series loss

The Oakland A’s had a lot go wrong in their ALDS loss to the Astros. Chris Bassitt is laying the blame upon himself.

The 2020 season did not end the way that the Oakland A’s had hoped. There were plenty of positives, as the A’s won the AL West and won a playoff series for the first time since 2006. However, Oakland was eliminated in the ALDS by the Astros, a team that not only finished with a losing record, but would not have reached the postseason without the expanded format.

While there were a number of factors that played into that disappointing outcome, Chris Bassitt is not interested in any of them. In his mind, his struggles in Game One set the series off on the wrong foot as he blames himself for being the reason why the A’s were eliminated in the ALDS.

Bassitt certainly did not have a great outing, allowing three runs on nine hits, including two homers, over his four innings of work. He said that happened because he was “trying to get cute,” giving the Astros a look they had not seen during the regular season.

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In a sense, he is correct. There was no reason for Bassitt to go away from what had worked during the regular season. Over the course of his breakout 2020 campaign, he had posted a 5-2 record with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.159 WHiP, striking out 55 batters with 17 walks in his 63 innings. Whatever he was doing worked.

Likewise, he had found success against the Astros in the regular season. He had allowed five runs on 16 hits and six walks over his 17 innings, striking out nine batters. But that familiarity can breed disaster. Bassitt, understandably, was concerned that the Astros would be ready for his usual game plan, and tried to shake things up.

In reality, one game does not a series make. The A’s had plenty of opportunities to make amends for Bassitt’s rough outing. Instead, the rest of the pitching staff imploded, and while the A’s belted 12 homers, there were not enough runners on base. There is plenty of blame to go around.

Chris Bassitt may blame himself for the Oakland A’s elimination in the ALDS. However, he is not the only culprit.