Newly acquired Mets pitcher Luis Severino, brimming with confidence, pledged to address the challenges that marred his recent years with the Yankees.
During a press conference in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Luis Severino revealed he invested heavily in self-analysis during the offseason, specifically targeting what he believes to be recurring “pitch-tipping” issues.
He pinpointed his struggles with breaking balls, particularly with runners on base, as the root cause of these troubles. This self-awareness and dedication to improvement suggest a determined Luis Severino eager to rediscover his past dominance. He expressed that in the big leagues, he needed to clean up his performance, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.
Luis Severino high on bouncing back in 2024
New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino, a former All-Star with a promising track record, arrives with a fire lit under him. After battling inconsistency and a nagging “pitch-tipping” issue with the Yankees, Severino aims to recapture his 2017 Cy Young-caliber form.
His 2023 season was riddled with struggles, especially with runners on base. Opposing hitters feasted on his pitches, compiling a staggering .330/.404/.637 slash line with seven home runs in just 105 plate appearances, leading to a hefty 6.65 ERA across 89 1/3 innings.
This wasn’t the first time Luis Severino faced suspicions of pitch-tipping. Back in 2018, concerns were raised during a rough Game 3 outing in the ALDS against the Red Sox, where he yielded six runs in three innings. Similar whispers emerged from former Yankee Alex Rodriguez during the 2019 ALCS against the Astros.
Undeterred, Luis Severino spent his offseason dedicated to self-examination, specifically analyzing and rectifying these perceived tipping issues. Now, he arrives in Mets blue and orange brimming with confidence, vowing to overcome past roadblocks and reclaim his previous level of dominance.
Luis Severino mentioned during a January press conference when he was introduced as a Met that there were several things he believed he had been doing incorrectly, including issues with tipping pitches. He emphasized the need to address these issues so that when he takes the mound at the start of the season, he can solely concentrate on pitching without worrying about the positioning of his glove.
His performance metrics declined notably last season amid his struggles with injuries. However, despite these challenges, his fastball velocity remained impressive, ranking in the 88th percentile across all of baseball, as per Baseball Savant. This provides optimism that Luis Severino may be able to reverse his fortunes during his one-year contract with the Mets in 2024, aiming to prove himself once again.
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This issue has been talked about since 2018. For all the Yankees genius, if this is fixed AFTER he leaves the Yankees, sorry, just another example of why I don’t like Sam Briend, and now I have an off the field reason not to like Matt Blake as the Pitching Coach.