Severino: A relief to be a starter again
In the early days of spring training, Joe Girardi didn’t say Luis Severino was a lock for a rotation spot.
Yes, the manager was impressed with the righthander’s first taste of the big leagues last season. Still, there were questions about his pitch consistency and location. And he was still 22.
Eventually, Severino claimed the No. 4 spot with CC Sabathia turning back Ivan Nova for the fifth and final rung on the ladder.
Then Severino went 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA in seven starts, went on the disabled list with a right triceps strain and was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 30. Slowly, Severino made strides in the minors and was recalled July 25. Three solid relief outings, the latest 4 1/3 innings in which he allowed one hit and one unearned run in Wednesday night’s 9-5 win over the Mets, got Severino back in the rotation. He will start Tuesday night against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Now the Yankees are hoping to see the hurler who went 5-3 with a 2.39 ERA in 11 games last year when the Yankees refused to listen to offers from him at the 2015 trade deadline.
“I feel good, I feel better,’’ Severino said. “The slider is better. The [bullpen] helped me a lot, I had to be ready every day.’’
Severino appeared to be more aggressive out of the bullpen, reaching 100 mph several times Sunday against the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“I knew at the beginning of the season I wasn’t doing very good. They sent me down to work. That’s what I did and got better,’’ Severino said.
Joe Girardi doesn’t have a magical message for Severino upon his re-entry into the rotation.
“I think you continue to remind him what made him successful,’’ Girardi said. “When I look at what made him successful [Wednesday night] was the command of his fastball and the depth of his breaking ball. He had swings and misses and he has more than enough velocity where hitters have to sometimes speed up and that’s when they are going to chase.’’
With Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda eligible to become free agents following the 2017 season, the Yankees could look to deal one or both in the offseason. Should that happen, Severino’s role in next year’s rotation will be key, and he could rise to No. 2 behind Masahiro Tanaka.
Severino will take Chad Green’s spot in the rotation. Green, who gave up three runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s start, was sent to SWB to work as a starter. He was replaced on the roster by right-handed reliever Johnny Barbato.