NL WILD CARD SERIES: PADRES VS METS

October 8, 2022

Chris Bassitt

Citi Field

New York Mets

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Obviously you're in a situation tomorrow where you're pitching an elimination game. How do you go into that mentally, and how do you prepare for that?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah, I think you've just got to try to be yourself as best as you possibly can. Obviously the moment is going to be pretty big, as long as we get there.

I think whatever team can kind of try to be themself the most will have the advantage.

Q. Chris, what was prep mode, I guess, for lack of a better term, like the last couple days because we all knew that last night's result would depend on who started today. How did that impact your prep, if at all?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah, I've been throwing pretty much touch and feels every day just to make sure I'm ready for whatever happens, and I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot for that.

Q. Chris, when you joined the Mets, did you think about pitching in moments like this?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah, I think we all kind of expected that. This is why we came. This is why we built the group that we built for the playoffs.

The division obviously didn't work out the way we wanted it to, but overall we got a chance to win it all. So I definitely expected this, no doubt.

Q. For you the opportunity to pitch in this big spot, is this something you embrace?

CHRIS BASSITT: No doubt. Like I said, hopefully we get a lot bigger games in the future, but yeah, getting brought over here with obviously Jake and Max, I knew the chance to pitch in big, big games was obviously pretty high.

Q. Chris, what really sticks out to you about the San Diego lineup?

CHRIS BASSITT: I would say it's very similar in the aspect of the Braves lineup where 1 through 9 there really is no let up. That's one of the biggest things for me when I see them is just a lot of lineups in the Big Leagues, you kind of get through a part of the lineup, and then you, not say have easy outs, but not a lot of damage or whatever it may be. May be singles, and you just hope the bottom of the lineup doesn't carry to the top.

But this lineup is obviously very, very good 1 through 9, and I would say that's one of the biggest things.

Q. If there is a Game 3 tonight, are you going to try to use the scouting as much as possible, seeing if there's anything you can use as an advantage tomorrow against this lineup?

CHRIS BASSITT: Jake's pitching tonight, so I can't really use anything Jake does.

(Laughter).

I wish I had Jake's stuff, but I don't. So, no, I'm just going to kind of be you guys and just enjoy the moment and have fun tonight and just enjoy obviously a great pitching matchup against two great teams. Like I said, just enjoy the moment tonight.

Q. Chris, did you take anything away from that start in Atlanta in terms of just dealing with the moment with the adrenaline, things like that?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah, I would say kind of going back to it, looking at it, I think I tried a little too hard in that game. Instead of just kind of pitching my game, being myself, I felt like I was overthrowing at times, not attacking the zone, not being in the zone, walking too many guys.

I think it was just me trying too hard instead of just trusting your ability, trusting your stuff, and really just pounding the zone. Then it's whatever happens happens. That's who I am. I'm a contact pitcher, and walking guys is not really acceptable for me.

So, yeah, I think tomorrow it's just more so just, like I said, just trusting yourself and just being in the zone and just trusting the defense behind you.

Q. Going back to when you got traded to the Mets in March, what did you initially think about not only being traded but being traded to this team? And what has your experience been like with this organization since then?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah, when I got traded over, it was like an, okay, here we go. Just the reason I say that is like, in my opinion, there isn't a harder city in our country to play a sport. New York is an absolute just gauntlet every night.

So mentally I kind of thought I was mentally tough enough to handle New York, but I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be playing for a team like the Mets, just because I've kind of proven to myself, okay, you can handle it. You can handle the scrutiny. You can handle the boos. You can handle all that stuff.

So, yeah, looking back at it, I'm thankful for that. Mentally it's toughened me up a lot, handling stuff. I've definitely made mistakes.

But overall, like I said, looking back at the trade, looking back at the year, I'm so proud of this group. I mean, with everything that we've gone through with Jake early, Max throughout the year, and still being in this position, like I said, I'm very thankful to be a part of this group.

Q. With free agency likely to come for you after this season, what is your degree of interest in staying here?

CHRIS BASSITT: I mean, not to make it short, but this group's very special to me. I like it a lot. But I'm not focused even one bit on free agency. I'll deal with that when we're done. Hopefully we're not done for a while.

I really haven't put a ton of thought in it just because so much of that is out of my control. No matter what team I love or want to go to, they've got to mutually do the same. So, yeah, we haven't thought or worried one bit about free agency. We're worrying about today. We're worrying about tomorrow, and that's it.

Q. As a free agent, though, for the first time in your career, it will be in your control, more than in the past at least.

CHRIS BASSITT: No doubt. But, again, both sides got to want each other kind of thing.

Q. Chris, you said something about situations trying too hard. Obviously in Atlanta, it was a big thing. It was like a playoff game. A lot of guys don't really kind of admit that even though the situations are different during the course of a long season, you don't have these kind of atmospheres, you don't have the finality of losing and then your season be done. Is the psychological part, is it a tangible thing you guys can feel in games like this during the playoffs?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah. Anyone that says no is a liar, I'll tell you that. Yeah, 100 percent, I've told a lot of guys on the team who haven't been in the playoffs, listen, whoever can just be themself the most I think has the biggest advantage.

The moment is already massive. Adrenaline is already -- you don't need Red Bulls anymore. You're good.

Yeah, whoever can just be themself and not -- the crowd is already going to be crazy. You can't kind of ride the crowd. You just got to be yourself, and that's it. I think whoever can make the moment not as big as it is is going to have an advantage there.

Q. So just reflecting back on all this to Oakland, you guys played big games there. I know this for a number of reasons was a terrible year, but it wasn't that way in the recent past. I mean, you had Wild Card games there in '18 and '19. You had winning seasons over there. What did you bring from over there to here, as part one. And part two, what's it like to now face your old manager here in a playoff series?

CHRIS BASSITT: Yeah, we definitely had some great teams. Internally we had a ton of expectations, but like I said, comparing New York to Oakland is night and day, just in stuff you have to deal with.

But to the whole BoMel question, I've learned, especially this year, where there's sometimes negativity and stuff like that throughout just, well, we lose two or three games and holy crap, the world's burning down.

I've truly learned to just appreciate the stories kind of in baseball and in life itself. I mean, I saw Stephen Vogt hit a home run. I was happy as can be for that. So, yeah, BoMel, Manaea, those guys, I'm sure happy as heck to see them, but I hope we beat them.

Q. You mentioned the team that is most capable of being themselves. What do you specifically mean by that without it being a cliche?

CHRIS BASSITT: I mean, just we have Jake going tonight. We don't need anyone more than Jake. Just Jake be Jake.

And obviously 1 through 9 is the same thing. We don't need Lindor to be more than Lindor is. We need Lindor to be Lindor. We need Pete to be Pete.

You see a lot of young guys either chase out of the zone or walk a lot of guys in these moments because, like I said, they're trying more than they should in a massive moment and they're just way too sped up.

So as I said, I think, if you understand the moment's very big but try to just be yourself, I think you have a one up on them.

Q. Chris, you mentioned everything that comes with playing in New York, toughest market to play in. Fast forward to tomorrow, if there is a tomorrow, being on that stage, what are some of the things you need to do to try and block all that out and just focus on the game and not the market, not the fan base, not the press, everything else?

CHRIS BASSITT: I don't think you really block it out. I just think you, as I said, just enjoy it. Go out there, look around, like man, this is why we work so hard. This is why we're playing through broken fingers and injuries and stuff like that. This is why we do what we do.

Everyone wants to be in these spotlights. So I don't think you block things out. It's more so you just enjoy it, just have fun with it. Then go out there and, like I said, just be yourself, trust yourself, and whatever happens happens. Yeah, just have fun with it.

Q. When you talk about making the situation a little bit smaller and being yourself, is that an actual conversation that you or other players have with each other pregame? And what is the general vibe in the clubhouse right now?

CHRIS BASSITT: The vibe's good. We have the best pitcher in the world on the mound. So even it up and anything can happen.

Yeah, everyone has conversations, whether you're a veteran like Max or you're a guy like Pete who hasn't ever been there yet. Yeah, I mean, we all have conversations. I'm sure that happens on every single team. It's just what to expect.

As crazy as it is, like family asking for tickets and friends asking for tickets and all that stuff, yeah, just what to expect.

Q. Chris, are there any technical or fundamental things that you need to manage when you're not working on your normal day, when it's the sixth day, the seventh day, or even the eighth day, and what are the challenges in that?

CHRIS BASSITT: I would say in this time of year one of the biggest challenges is obviously a lot of people just don't feel that good. Luckily for me, I feel really good.

But when you have -- when you don't really have a routine later in the year, it is tougher to be as sharp as you usually are just because, like I said, your body is just worn down. Everyone's body is worn down.

But that's the biggest thing of why everyone likes to stay in routine. It's just, if you can stay in routine and you're sore or whatever it may be, it's not that hard to stay in rhythm. But once you kind of add wrinkles to it, it's definitely a challenge.

That's why I say I've literally been throwing very light touch and feels every day just so I know for a fact that, when I step on the mound tomorrow, I'll be good to go.