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Part 25 in a series analyzing the New York Yankees Luis Severino and the Yankees avoided a potentially contentious arbitration hearing last February by agreeing to a four-year, $40 million extension just prior to the meeting getting underway. It’s about the last thing that’s gone right for Severino, who went on to miss nearly all …
Part 25 in a series analyzing the New York Yankees
Luis Severino and the Yankees avoided a potentially contentious arbitration hearing last February by agreeing to a four-year, $40 million extension just prior to the meeting getting underway.
It’s about the last thing that’s gone right for Severino, who went on to miss nearly all of 2019, limited to three regular-season games due to right rotator cuff inflammation and a lat problem.
He returned in time to make his season debut in September. After three regular-season starts, Severino made two more in the playoffs, but is now out for all of 2020 and at least the early part of 2021 following Tommy John surgery.
It’s a worst-case scenario for the right-hander, as well as the Yankees. General manager Brian Cashman pointed out the hazards of making a deal like they did with Severino, which bought out his arbitration years.
“It’s not easy when you are on this side of the fence to give that [money and years] and take on the risk when you don’t have to,’’ Cashman said after the deal was struck last February. “We are betting on the player and we know injuries happen, but he has been special since we signed him.’’
In the two seasons before the deal, Severino had gone 33-14 with a 3.18 ERA in 63 starts. His 384 ²/₃ innings pointed to durability and he had whiffed a combined 450 batters — and was just 24.
The contract came on the heels of Philadelphia signing Aaron Nola, who was coming off a superb season, to a four-year, $45 million contract.
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But while Nola provided another 200-plus-inning season, Severino hasn’t been able to stay on the mound.
His injury issues a year ago helped lead to the Yankees’ decision to remake their medical and training staffs during the offseason.
“For me, this is a key year,” Severino said shortly before being shut down in February. “The main thing for me this year is being healthy all the way to the playoffs and World Series.”
Severino seemingly came close to doing so last year, though he said his forearm was sore after Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros. He felt good enough that he was scheduled to start Game 7 of the series had the Yankees not been eliminated in Game 6.
The shutdown of the season since March due to the coronavirus has begun to diminish some of the loss of Severino, who will miss fewer games. But when MLB — and Severino — returns, he still will have to prove he can stay healthy and reward the Yankees’ faith in him.
“He’s done it before, so I would think he can do it again,’’ one AL scout said of Severino being an elite pitcher capable of delivering a lot of innings in the future. “He’s had some bad luck, but he’s still young and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t at least approach where he was a couple of years ago.’’
This spring, a frustrated Severino insisted that would still be the case, noting he had done research on recovery and found a pair of contemporaries who overcame elbow surgery early in their careers.
“A lot of good pitchers came up,’’ said Severino, singling out the Mets’ Jacob deGrom and Washington’s Stephen Strasburg. “That gave me more confidence. These guys did it, I can do it, too. DeGrom has had a great career and Strasburg just won the MVP of the World Series.’’
