Orioles receive – Chris Bassitt’s lower-back tightness forced him out after 3.0 innings against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, but Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz said the right-hander has no further problems. Bassitt is set to rejoin the Orioles in Toronto and is expected t
The Baltimore Orioles’ climb in the American League East has come with a brief jolt at the worst possible moment.
Chris Bassitt was forced out early in his start on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox, leaving the game after just 3.0 innings with lower back tightness. He allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs before being pulled from the mound.
Baltimore’s concern didn’t last long, though it still carried real weight inside the organization. Bassitt had his back examined in Baltimore, and Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said there are no further problems. Bassitt is in his first season with the Orioles.
With the scare contained, Bassitt is expected to rejoin his teammates in Toronto and make his scheduled start Monday when the Orioles host the Seattle Mariners.
The update lands at a point when the Orioles are already leaning on the strength of their lineup. Baltimore has been counting on power hitting from Pete Alonso, alongside Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. Even with the bats heating up, the team needs their starters to give them consistent length.
Bassitt’s season to this point has been uneven. Through more than two months, he holds a 4-4 record with a 5.27 earned run average. He has started in 10 of his 12 appearances, pitching 56.1 innings. His totals also show the push and pull of a difficult stretch: 37 strikeouts and 22 walks.
At 37 years old, Bassitt is in his 12th big-league season. His best year came in 2023 with the Toronto Blue Jays, when he went 16-8 with a 3.60 ERA and struck out 186 batters in 200.0 innings.
On the standings side, the timing of Bassitt’s scare matters. The Orioles are 30-33, and they’ve climbed into a tie for third place in the American League East with the Blue Jays. Baltimore has won 7 of its last 10 games, and in that stretch they’ve scored 4 runs or more in 8 of their last 10.
If Bassitt is ready for Monday, Baltimore gets to keep that momentum moving forward—just with one key starter’s health no longer hanging over the start of next week.
Baltimore Orioles Chris Bassitt Craig Albernaz lower back tightness Boston Red Sox Seattle Mariners AL East Pete Alonso Gunnar Henderson Adley Rutschman
Lower back tightness is always scary with pitchers… hope he doesn’t try to tough it out.
So he got pulled after 3 innings but they’re acting like it’s fine? Sounds like “no further problems” is just PR talk. 5.27 ERA too, they really need him to figure it out.
I read somewhere it was actually his elbow? But maybe that’s another player, either way the Orioles always jinx themselves when they finally climb up in the standings. Toronto trip and then Seattle… good luck with the back.
Back tightness means nothing right until it does, like my uncle said about his knee. If he’s back Monday then cool, but I’m still thinking about that 6 hits 3 runs in 3 innings… that’s a lot. Also Pete Alonso bats heating up doesn’t matter if the starters can’t go deep, right?