Christopher Bassitt: Everything you need to know

Bassitt is slated to pitch in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Keegan Akin in Sunday's game against the Athletics, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports. The Orioles will deploy Bassitt behind an opener for the first time all season, hoping the arrangement generates better results from the right-hander after he submitted 5.91 ERA and 1.91 WHIP over 32 innings through his first seven starts. The Athletics lineup features four left-handed batters among its first seven hitters, so the left-handed Akin could work the first inning or two before the right-handed Bassitt takes over.

Bassitt didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 9-7 win over the Marlins, giving up four runs on six hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out three. Miami tagged the veteran righty for runs in each of the first three frames before Bassitt finally delivered a clean fourth, but he still got the hook after 76 pitches (42 strikes) with Baltimore holding a 7-4 lead. Bassitt has been able to keep the ball in the yard this season, serving up just three homers in 32 innings, but that's about the only positive takeaway from his performance so far. He'll carry a 5.91 ERA, 1.91 WHIP and 20:17 K:BB into his next outing, which is set to come at home this weekend against the A's.

Bassitt (2-2) earned the win Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader with the Astros, allowing a run on seven hits and a walk over 6.2 innings. He struck out seven. It was easily the best outing of the season thus far for Bassitt, who logged a season high in strikeouts en route to his first quality start. The right-hander held Houston off the board for six innings before Christian Vazquez drove in a run with two outs in the seventh. Bassitt's ERA now sits at 5.46 with a 1.86 WHIP and 17:14 K:BB across six starts (28 innings) this year. He'll look to build on Thursday's performance his next time out, tentatively scheduled to come next week in Miami.