Bassitt made three starts over four Cactus League appearances before spring training was suspended, but A.J. Puk's improving shoulder could relegate the former to a bullpen role to open 2020.
The veteran right-hander was projected to open the season as a back-end starter when Opening Day was still slated to unfold March 26, as Puk's shoulder issues were expected to keep him sidelined for the early portion of the campaign. The subsequent and considerable delay to the start of the season has bought Puk plenty of recovery time, however, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported the promising southpaw was back to throwing from up to 120 feet.