Mets' Chris Bassitt sidelined by COVID
New York Mets starting pitcher Chris Bassitt against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 25, 2022, in Miami. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
Chris Bassitt was scratched from Friday night’s start and placed on the injured list with a “non-injury” that a source confirmed was COVID-19.
There is no time minimum for the COVID IL, so it’s unclear how many starts Bassitt will miss. Buck Showalter said they had an indication Wednesday that Bassitt would miss his start. David Peterson pitched in his stead, but that, too, was uncertain until the final moment. Peterson’s wife, Alex, is due to give birth any day now.
“We’ve got people in all walks of life that have to deal with it, and why should we be any different?” Showalter said of Bassitt. The Mets aren’t permitted to reveal his diagnosis without his consent, so though Showalter alluded to the issue, he couldn’t disclose any details.
Peterson, meanwhile, could get the call to the hospital at any moment.
“He came to me today and said, ‘I need to talk to you,’ and I’m like, ‘Don’t tell me you just got the phone call,’ because one of y’all would have been pitching tonight,” Showalter said, referring to the assembled media. “It looks like he may leave after the game. We’ll see. If he needs to, that’s fully supported. He needs to go.”
May, Jankowski update
Trevor May will throw off a mound Saturday, the first time since going down on May 3 with a stress reaction in his right arm. Imaging on the arm revealed the injury has healed, Showalter said. “It’s very encouraging, his potential return to us,” he said. “Provided he doesn’t have any setbacks, it should move very quickly.”
Travis Jankowski (broken finger) also is making good progress, Showalter said. He’s hitting off a tee, is facing live pitching from closer distances and could begin a rehab assignment next week, Showalter said.
Long haul
Friday’s series opener against the Rangers marks the beginning of 17 games in 17 days for the Mets, a span that extends to the All-Star break.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
