Great results for Luis Severino, who says he feels great, too

TAMPA, Fla. — It looked and, even more significant, felt as good as it has in a while for Luis Severino.

In his final exhibition start on Saturday before he slots in behind Gerrit Cole as the Yankees’ No. 2 starter, Severino combined the good velocity he displayed in his first two outings with a sharpness that had not been there in those starts.

“Had it all working,” one longtime American League scout said. “Regular season-ready.”

Severino allowed one hit and struck out three in four innings in the Yankees’ rain-shortened 10-0 victory over Atlanta at Steinbrenner Field. He entered the game having allowed seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings  for a 17.18 ERA,  

Severino, who is scheduled to take the mound Saturday against the Red Sox in the Yankees’ second regular-season game, threw 58 pitches (42 strikes).

His fastball velocity sat in the range of 95 to 97 mph and hit 98 a handful of times. That was similar to his previous outings, but Severino felt he was overthrowing in those starts. That wasn’t the case Saturday.

“Every time they give me the ball, that’s what I try to do, throw hard,” he said. “I noticed the last couple days, I don’t need to throw 100, 99 or 98. If I can control the zone and go 94, 95, 97 for five, six innings and get people out, that will be safer for me, saving my arm and not trying to overthrow. In that outing against Philadelphia [March 25, when he allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings], I was trying to push it too much.”

The day was especially encouraging given the drama earlier in the week. Severino was scratched from Wednesday night's scheduled start against Toronto because of what he described as soreness in his “whole arm.” The Yankees had him throw a bullpen session  that day and he came out of it feeling just fine, with no lingering soreness.

Severino said he felt “nothing” in the arm in terms of discomfort on Saturday, reassuring given his injury history the past three seasons. He has pitched only 18 innings in  seven games (three starts) since signing a four-year, $40 million extension in February 2019.

“I haven’t pitched in such a long time that every time I feel something, I’m worried because I don’t know what’s going to be next,” said Severino, who had Tommy John surgery in February 2020 and whose comeback last season was set back by a groin injury in June and shoulder tightness in August. “I’ve had so many injuries — shoulder, elbow, groin — so every time I feel something, go right away to the trainers to try to fix it quick . . . for me, going through everything I’ve been through, it’s more about mind games right now. I know my body’s good now. I know that I can control my fastball, I can throw all my pitches and the next day wake up and feel good. That’s the main thing for me.”  

Severino retired Atlanta in order in a 16-pitch first, striking out first baseman Matt Olson — an offseason target of the Yankees who eventually was dealt from Oakland to Atlanta — looking at a 93-mph fastball.

Adam Duvall led off the second by lining an 0-and-2 slider to left for a double, but Severino set down the next three in another 16-pitch inning, getting his second strikeout when William Contreras whiffed on a 97-mph fastball up in the zone.  

 He had another 1-2-3 inning in the third that required only 12 pitches, and he finished off his day with a 1-2-3, 14-pitch fourth in which he struck out Austin Riley on a 1-and-2 slider.

“I’m really pleased with how, I felt, he just stayed within himself and within his delivery today,” Aaron Boone said. “It didn’t feel like a ton of effort — like he wasn’t overworking or overthrowing, which maybe he was his first outing. I just thought he was on point all day.” 

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

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.