Severino back on mound for Yanks
Chance to atone for disaster in last year’s wild card game
NEW YORK • Luis Severino will start the AL wild-card game for the New York Yankees against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night, a chance to make up for his awful outing in the winner-take-all matchup against Minnesota last year.
“I think he’s equipped in so many ways to handle this, and perhaps most importantly, he’s equipped with amazing stuff and the ability to dominate big league hitters because he’s such a talented pitcher,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday.
Severino was chosen over J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka.
Severino made his post-season debut in last year’s wild-card game. He got just one out and left with a 3-0 deficit, but New York rallied for an 8-4 win.
“I was too excited,” Severino said. “It was a good experience. Now I’ll take that and try to treat that game like a regular game.”
Meanwhile, reliever Liam Hendriks will start for the Athletics.
The former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher was designated for assignment in June and cleared waivers, but now he’ll open the biggest game of Oakland’s season. He will be only the fourth pitcher to start a postseason game after a regular season of no wins, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
A 29-year-old right-hander, Hendriks was 0-1 with a 4.13 ERA in 25 appearances this year, including 0-1 and a 2.08 ERA in eight September starts of 1 2/3 innings or less. He pitched seven shutout innings in his last seven starts, allowing four hits.
A 24-year-old right-hander, Severino was 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA and 220 strikeouts. He was 14-2 at the All-Star break but lost six of his next nine decisions before beating Boston and Tampa Bay in his last two outings. He lost 8-2 at Oakland on Sept. 5, allowing six runs — five earned — and six hits in 2 2/3 innings. He threw two wild pitches and Gary Sanchez had two passed balls.
“I think it was a miscommunication between us,” Severino said. “I think we didn’t set the right signs.”
The wild-card winner advances to a Division Series against Boston starting Friday.
Happ, Tanaka and Lance Lynn will be part of a nine-man bullpen.
CLEVINGER GETS CALL
Indians right-hander Mike Clevinger will start Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Houston Astros.
Manager Terry Francona announced Tuesday that he’ll go with Clevinger when the best-of-five series returns to Progressive Field next week. Clevinger went 13-8 with a 3.02 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 32 starts during the regular season.
Francona had other options in All-Star Trevor Bauer and rookie Shane Bieber, but will go with the 27-year-old Clevinger, who has developed into a reliable and consistent starter. Clevinger pitched out of the bullpen in last year’s division series against the New York Yankees.
Francona said either Bauer or Bieber will start Game 4 if the series goes that far. Bauer recently returned after being sidelined with a broken leg, and Francona indicated the right-hander could have a large role in the post-season — perhaps pitching in relief if needed.