STRONG!
Severino dials up to 100 mph, Ks 9 and allows 2 hits
CLEVELAND — Luis Severino continues to deal like an ace.
Severino earned another win on Sunday afternoon, striking out nine over 6.2 innings in the Yankees’ 8-1 victory over the Indians at Progressive Field. He allowed just one run on two hits, and walked one.
“I’m here to compete, and every time I take the ball, I’m going to give 100 percent,” Severino said. “Everything was good today.”
Over his last five starts, Severino (9-4, 2.41 ERA) has allowed just three earned runs over 32.2 innings with 38 strikeouts for a 4-0 record and a 0.83 ERA.
“He’s continued to improve all-year long,” Joe Girardi said. “It really started the last two weeks in spring training. You’re seeing things now that he didn’t do early on, just with pitching and changing speeds.” Austin Romine got more specific. “Everybody sees it,” Romine said. “He’s on the corner throwing 100 the whole game. He has two different sliders. He mixes in his changeup. When you throw 100 and you do that, you’ll be hard to hit.”
These days, Severino doesn’t require much run support. Just ask Aaron Judge.
“With Sevvy, you just have to get one or two runs and then you’ll be set all game,” Judge added.
Severino gave up a two-out homer to Michael Brantley in the first, but didn’t allow another hit until Edwin Encarnacion singled with two outs in the seventh.
The Yankees’ anemic offense would ultimately erupt for five runs in the sixth, giving him more than enough support.
The 23-year-old righty has taken tremendous strides since working with Pedro Martinez on his mechanics in the offseason.
It’s hard to believe he went 0-8 with an 8.50 ERA in 11 starts in 2016. He also went to the minors for a while and pitched in relief for the Bombers as well.
Severino entered Sunday’s start ranked fifth in FanGraphs WAR behind only Chris Sale, Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber and James Paxton. Elite company. “Corey Kluber (11-strikeout complete-game on Thursday) was as special as it gets,” Girardi said. “But I look at Sevvy, he gave up two hits over 6.2 innings, he pitched really, really well. And Sevvy’s stuff just doesn’t fall off.”