Ian Hamilton’s ‘comment’ about Luis Severino stokes uproar amongst Yankees fans

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Before Wednesday’s game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that despite it being Luis Severino‘s turn in the rotation, he wouldn’t be the starting pitcher. Instead, Ian Hamilton was chosen as the starter, and Severino was to come behind him in a “bulk” bullpen role. This strategic shift was aimed at addressing Severino’s ongoing struggles in the first inning by utilizing an opener (Ian Hamilton) at Guaranteed Rate Field.

In the first inning, Ian Hamilton efficiently threw 10 pitches, allowing only one walk. This early performance seemed to vindicate the New York Yankees’ decision to avoid starting Luis Severino against the Chicago White Sox when every game carried weight for a team striving to secure a spot in the wild-card contention.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Yankees manager Boone turned to the bullpen, introducing Severino as the team’s primary reliever in the second inning. Ian Hamilton was replaced. Regrettably, this move proved counterproductive, as Severino, who had candidly labeled himself as one of the least effective pitchers in the league, had a disappointing outing against Baltimore during his prior appearance. In the course of two innings, Severino conceded four runs on five hits, contributing to the Yankees’ disheartening 9-2 loss to the White Sox. This outcome added to the struggles of the White Sox, an organization currently facing significant challenges and criticism within the MLB community.

In the second inning, Severino entered the game but quickly found himself trailing 3-0 after facing just four batters. Oscar Colas, a player with a season-long OPS of .542, launched a powerful home run off Severino, extending the White Sox’s lead over the Yankees to 3-0. Adding to Severino’s struggles, he surrendered another run in the third inning and was eventually substituted from the mound after issuing a leadoff walk in the fourth.

Severino’s difficulties have been substantial, particularly since the beginning of July. The Yankees starter has recorded an alarming 11.71 ERA and a high 2.39 WHIP, yielding a staggering 10 home runs over a span of 27.2 innings.

This sequence of events prompted Yankees fans to vehemently criticize the decision to replace the initially effective Ian Hamilton with Severino. It became evident that Severino’s presence on the field did not offer the Yankees their optimal chance of securing a victory.

Unofficially, according to Twitter account Jonny’s Lasagna, when asked about his short pitching stint, Ian Hamilton responded:

“I don’t know why they didn’t give me a second inning. Pulled for Severino of all people? You guys have seen him pitch lately. Were you surprised to see what happened? I’ll just leave it there.”

Although this quote could not be verified by another source, the alleged quote in the tweet reinforced frustrations with fans who were aligned with the alleged quote.

Yankees fans turn angry

As Ian Hamilton continued his impeccable performance into the first inning, Aaron Boone opted to switch him out for Severino. However, Severino’s recent track record was far from encouraging, having conceded a disheartening 14 runs on 15 hits and five walks over 7 1/3 innings in his last two appearances, resulting in an unsightly 8.06 ERA. This raised significant doubts about his reliability as a starting pitcher for all except Aaron Boone.

Among all the pitchers who have thrown a minimum of 60 innings in the current MLB season, Severino’s 8.06 ERA ranks at the very bottom. The tipping point should arguably have been reached after his July 30 performance against the Baltimore Orioles, during which he allowed nine runs. Despite this, the Yankees inexplicably granted him one more starting opportunity against the Houston Astros, a decision that unsurprisingly yielded unfavorable outcomes.

Aaron Boone replacing Ian Hamilton with Luis Severino on Wednesday gave a sure invitation to disaster. This choice only fueled more frustration among Yankees fans that compounded with the reported comment.

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