Pinstriped payback: Yankees exact revenge on Severino over his barb

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The Yankees’ batting order battered Luis Severino, exacting revenge over his barb from last year.

Luis Severino‘s reunion with his former club became a nightmare on Sunday as the New York Yankees delivered an emphatic response to his infamous “two-hitter team” comment from the 2024 season. The Mother’s Day matchup at Sutter Health Park saw the Yankees dismantle Severino and the Athletics 12-2, proving they’re far more than the limited offensive threat their former pitcher once claimed.

The vengeful victory came nearly a year after Severino dismissively characterized the Yankees as a squad reliant solely on Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. With Soto now wearing Mets colors and Judge continuing his dominance, the 2025 Yankees demonstrated just how much their offensive identity has evolved since Severino’s departure.

They ambushed Severino in the second with 10 batters securing five runs. This ended with the ex-Yankees pitcher giving up eight runs on nine hits in four innings.

Yankees strike fast, strike often

Following a scoreless opening frame, New York’s offense ignited in the second inning. Paul Goldschmidt kicked things off with a leadoff double, sparking a five-run outburst. Aaron Judge delivered the exclamation point with a two-run single, part of his stellar 4-for-5 performance that elevated his league-leading batting average to .409.

Severino’s afternoon completely unraveled in the fifth. With his command deteriorating and pitch count mounting, he allowed two more baserunners without recording an out. At 97 pitches and his team trailing 6-1, Severino’s day ended with a dejected walk to the dugout, hat and glove in hand, expression telling the tale of his frustration.

The final damage: eight earned runs, nine hits, four-plus innings pitched, two walks, two strikeouts, one wild pitch, and a hit batter. His ERA swelled considerably as his former teammates made him pay for last year’s comments.

Rice launches career milestone

The game’s defining moment came immediately after Severino’s exit. Rookie Ben Rice stepped into the batter’s box with bases loaded and launched his first career grand slam off former Yankees farmhand Mitch Spence. The right-field blast electrified the Yankees dugout and silenced the crowd.

New York’s offensive onslaught produced 15 hits, with eight of nine starters recording at least one. Only Jorbit Vivas failed to collect a hit, though he contributed with an RBI groundout and drew a walk.

Goldschmidt continued his torrid hitting, smacking three doubles in five at-bats to raise his average to .349, second only to Judge in the American League batting race.

Speed, contact, and controlled chaos

The Yankees showcased dimensions beyond raw power—displaying speed, baserunning intelligence, and execution that had previously been lacking. A perfectly executed hit-and-run in the fifth saw Jasson Domínguez break from first as Anthony Volpe slapped a ground ball through the vacated shortstop position for a clean single.

Earlier, Domínguez demonstrated aggressive baserunning, racing from first to home on Oswaldo Cabrera’s double. Ignoring third base coach Luis Rojas’s stop sign, he narrowly evaded the tag with a crafty left-hand slide.

Even manager Aaron Boone acknowledged this evolved offensive approach:

“We absolutely feel that way,” Boone said. “Obviously, we’ve hit a lot of home runs so far this year, and that’s, we feel like, always going to be a big part of our offensive identity. But without question, I feel like we have really good athletes, too, that can play that game a little bit.”

Judge’s all-around impact

Judge once again proved himself the team’s cornerstone, not only collecting four hits, including a hustle double, but also delivering defensively. His sliding catch in right field robbed Jason Wilson of a hit, nearly resulting in a double play as he nearly caught Gio Urshela off first base.

When questioned about maintaining elite batting average alongside league-leading power numbers, Judge modestly deflected:

“Probably means they got a lot of good hitters around them,” he said.

This humility continues to anchor a clubhouse navigating through injury challenges and inconsistent beginnings to the season.

Rotation holds its ground

New York’s pitching complemented the offensive fireworks. Ryan Yarbrough, making just his second start after primarily working from the bullpen, delivered five effective innings, surrendering only two runs on six hits. Three scoreless frames from Yerry De Los Santos followed, with Tyler Matzek securing the ninth.

With Carlos Carrasco’s recent demotion, Yarbrough may have secured at least a temporary rotation spot through his ability to limit damage and generate weak contact.

As Rice observed after the game:

“Up and down the lineup, we got guys who can produce and do damage,” said Rice. “It’s fun to see.”

Severino’s words come full circle

Severino’s “two good hitters” comment last July was delivered lightheartedly after former teammates teased him about skipping a start against them. But for a Yankees squad that stores away perceived slights, Sunday’s offensive explosion served as the perfect retort.

This wasn’t merely a power-dependent lineup anymore but a multifaceted offense built on depth, balance, and clearly, motivation from past criticism.

With another series victory secured, the Yankees (23-17) now travel to Seattle to continue their six-game road trip. They depart Sacramento with more than just another win—they leave with the satisfaction of having silenced their former teammate through comprehensive, statement-making baseball.

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