Sevy finishes in fine form, ready for playoffs
Even passing talk of a division title might be moot by the end of the weekend, perhaps even in the next day or so, as stealing the AL East from Boston still remains a longshot with both teams winning on Wednesday night. It must suffice for now that emerging ace Luis Severino excelled in his final regularseason start in what has been a thoroughly impressive breakout season on Wednesday, perhaps as important a development to where the Yankees are in the standings as Aaron Judge or Gary Sanchez or Didi Gregorius or their loaded back-end of the bullpen. Tossing six breezy innings of one-run ball in a 6-1 victory over the Rays aligns Severino to pitch the AL wild-card game next Tuesday against Minnesota with an extra day of rest. It also leaves open the possibility of him starting a one-game play-in for the division crown on his normal turn one day earlier, although the Yankees still trail by three games with only four to play after the Red Sox also defeated Toronto at Fenway. “It means a lot. Last year they didn’t trust me to even start a regular game, and right now I have this opportunity to open the postseason,” said Severino, who never has made a postseason start at any professional level. “I feel proud of myself and the team, too. I’ll be ready.” Whichever team they have to face first next week, Joe Girardi and the Yanks should feel plenty confident about sending out Severino to pitch ahead of any of their other starters for either one-game scenario.
The 23-year-old righty certainly bounced back effectively from his previous shaky start, in which he was yanked in the fourth inning without recording an out in an otherwise uplifting 11-3 win over the Twins.
“I felt good about him going into the playoffs no matter what he did tonight,” Girardi said. “But he had a really good outing.”
One year after not winning a single game as a starter (0-8), and after spending much of 2016 either in the minors or in the bullpen, the first-time All-Star improved his stellar overall numbers for the year to 14-6 with a 2.98 ERA (third in the league) and 230 strikeouts in 193.1 innings over 31 starts.
And as Girardi correctly pointed out beforehand, “I don’t think his record is really reflective of how well he’s pitched.”
“It’s been an unbelievable season,” Girardi added. “The young man has pitched really, really well and he’s a big reason why we’re here at this point.” USA TODAY SPORTS
All the more reason the Yanks will take their chances with Severino getting the ball in the wild-card game, or with the division for the taking.
If it somehow comes to a onegame showdown on Monday at the Stadium – Yankees-Sawx with the division on the line for the first time since the Bucky (Bleeping) Dent game in 1978, albeit with better ramifications for the loser – it shouldn’t even be a question that Severino will start it.
Any chance to avoid the uncertainty of the wild-card elimination game easily makes that the worthwhile play.
“I think that the main goal is to win the division. I don’t think anyone wants to be in a one-game shootout,” Girardi said. “I just think there are so many little things that could come up that could cost you a game in a one-game shootout. Your goal is to win.”
Still, that doesn’t mean that Girardi is entirely thrilled with the prospect of even having to play a Monday tiebreaker, if it comes to that, especially after his team took 11 of 19 from first-place Boston this season.
The Yankee skipper might think differently had those records been reversed, obviously. But he clearly disagrees with MLB and believes that should have been enough to determine the division winner.
“I think the value of the game, playing a one-game playoff versus winning your division is so great…. they probably think it’s fair,” Girardi said. “But I think the (season-series) record should be sufficient. If I was on the other side, maybe I wouldn’t say that. But you play a team 19 times, it’s an odd number…And if you do play in that game, you’re at somewhat of a disadvantage in the wild-card game, if you lose that game.”
Two days earlier, Girardi also had griped about the one-and-done nature of the wild-card format. He suggested a best-of-3 series would be both fairer to the two teams following a full 162-game slate, while also serving as a penalty in terms of taxed pitching staffs for whichever team advances. ut first things first.
“Let’s just worry about today…and see if we get a little bit closer,” Girardi said. “If (Severino) pitches Wednesday, obviously, the next day that he’ll be available to pitch is Monday.”
Either day works. As long as the Yankees’ best pitcher has the ball in his hand.
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