Luis Severino's return a win for Yankees, if not his record
Luis Severino of the New York Yankees walks off the field after being relieved in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sunday. Credit: Getty Images/Dylan Buell
CINCINNATI — Luis Severino just missed picking up a win in his 2023 debut, leaving with a one-run lead but falling an out short of the five innings required to get one.
But after beginning the year on the injured list with a right lat strain, the righthander — with a fastball that touched 99 mph and sharp overall stuff in a 4-1 victory over the Reds on Sunday — could not have had a much better first start of the season.
“I feel pretty good,” said Severino, who walked the first batter he faced, Jonathan India, on four pitches but did not walk another batter. “Feel like I was attacking the zone, after the first walk, of course, but everything else was really good.”
Severino, who threw 58 pitches last Tuesday in a rehab start with Double-A Somerset, allowed one run and four hits in the 75-pitch outing. He struck out five.
“Listen, man, he’s electric,” Harrison Bader said. “I couldn’t be more happy he’s back. He had a great outing and I’m excited for everything for him moving forward.”
Severino’s abilities on the mound have rarely been questioned in his time with the Yankees. The questions have always been about his health. Since signing a four-year, $40 million extension in spring training 2019, Severino, now 29, has appeared in only 27 games (23 starts).
In those games, including Sunday's, he has gone 9-4 with a 2.82 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP and has struck out 142 in 124 2/3 innings.
Severino's presence could be a needed lift for a rotation that has had its share of ups and downs — mostly downs — this season. The Yankees’ current winning ways have occurred despite the group more than because of it. The bullpen continues to be excellent, with Albert Abreu, Jimmy Cordero, Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes combining to allow two hits and a walk in 4 1/3 scoreless innings on Sunday.
Severino struck out the first two batters in the fifth before allowing a single on his seventh pitch to Luke Maile and being removed. “Yeah, I was disappointed,” he said. “But we got the win, and that’s the more important thing.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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