Brady

Basso

It looks like the Athletics are going to give Ginn some extra rest by pushing him back to Thursday’s series opener against the Mariners instead of having him take the ball against the Rangers on Tuesday. It’ll be Brady Basso kicking off a bullpen game for the Athletics instead.

Basso is back for a third stint in the pen after giving up six runs over 4 1/3 innings in the first two. He’s been throwing his Barry Zito-like curveball a less of late, instead focusing on his cutter to go along with his four-seamer. It doesn’t really seem to have paid off, as he was sporting a 5.11 ERA in Triple-A. He’ll need to take a step forward here in the second half if he wants to stick on the 40-man this winter.

Basso surrendered four runs over 1 2/3 innings during Sunday’s lopsided defeat at the hands of the Rockies in Las Vegas. The 28-year-old has posted an abysmal 12.46 ERA across 4 1/3 innings at the highest level this season.

With Joey Estes getting optioned out on Sunday, Basso will add a fresh arm to the A’s bullpen for at least a few days. The 28-year-old southpaw has registered a 6.75 ERA, 2.25 WHIP and a 1/1 K/BB ratio over 2 2/3 innings in three appearances with the big league club this season.

Basso heads back to the minors after allowing two runs over 2 2/3 innings over three appearances since being called up last week.

Basso gets the call to join the Athletics’ relief mix ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Mariners after spending the first couple weeks of the year in the minors. The 28-year-old southpaw has compiled a serviceable 3.44 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 27/14 K/BB ratio across 34 innings at the highest level since 2024.

With Basso in Triple-A, it seems like the Athletics will carry only one left-handed pitcher in the bullpen, Hogan Harris. That also makes it less likely that Harris will get many save opportunities at the start of the season. Basso pitched just 11 2/3 MLB innings last season after recovering from an early-season shoulder injury.

Basso returns to the big leagues with Joey Estes hitting the injured list with a back ailment. The 27-year-old southpaw holds a pedestrian 4.03 ERA across 22 1/3 innings (seven appearances, four starts) this season at the highest level.

The 27-year-old southpaw has been sidelined since spring training due to a strained left shoulder. He has been on a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas where he’ll continue to work now that he has been activated from the injured list. The plan is for Basso to continue working out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a shot with the A’s before the year ends.

Although the lefty showed some potential as a starter last season, the A’s have decided to bring Basso back as a reliever for now. He’ll probably join the bullpen later this month, though he could be optioned out instead if he struggles on his rehab assignment.