After a string of forgettable outings, Luis Severino delivered an impressive performance on Monday. The Yankees’ starter notched up his highest number of strikeouts this season while inducing 15 swings-and-misses in a dominant seven-inning display at Comerica Park. His stellar showing propelled the Yankees to a 4-1 victory over the Tigers.
This achievement marked Luis Severino’s consecutive two starts without allowing any runs, as he previously pitched 6 ²/₃ scoreless innings against the Nationals in his last outing.
Aaron Judge commended the Yankees’ starter and used the term “impressive” to describe his pitching performance. The star slugger was in awe of Luis Severino’s strong fastball, command of the strike zone, and ability to effectively control pitches within the zone. He expressed his admiration by referring to the pitcher as a “bulldog,” underscoring his tenacious and determined approach. Aaron Judge concluded by reiterating his belief that Luis Severino is among the best in the game when exhibiting strong fastball control and precision within the strike zone.
“That’s the type of guy he’s always been throughout his career, he’s a bulldog,” Aaron Judge said. “That’s the guy I’ve watched for years. Like I’ve always said when he has good fastball command and pounds the zone he’s one of the best in the game.”
Luis Severino’s late turnaround
Prior to his recent consecutive promising performances, Luis Severino had struggled with a 7.98 ERA across his initial 15 starts of the season. This rough stretch led him to refer to himself as the “least effective pitcher in the league” in the past month.
It has undoubtedly been a forgettable season for the Yankees‘ right-hander. The impending free agent had recently referred to himself as the “worst starting pitcher in the league,” and leading into his latest performance, his numbers reflected a grim 11.08 ERA and a 2.31 WHIP over 31.2 innings since the start of July.
Fortunately, Luis Severino managed to take a significant leap in the right direction in his recent outing. He put forth his most impressive start of the year against the Nationals at Yankee Stadium, securing his third win as he allowed merely one hit and issued two walks while keeping the opposition scoreless over 6.2 innings.
Building on the strength of that remarkable performance, Luis Severino continued his effectiveness in the Yankees’ 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night. He established dominance from the outset, notching two strikeouts in a concise 12-pitch first inning.
Throughout the majority of the game, Luis Severino demonstrated solid command. When encountering challenging situations, he exhibited composure and managed to navigate out of potential threats. Over the course of his seven exceptional innings, the 29-year-old effectively prevented the Tigers from scoring, keeping them 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Luis Severino achieved a season-best eight strikeouts and generated 15 swings-and-misses.
Yankees were impressed
His back-to-back dominant performances left his teammates and coaching staff encouraged about his capabilities moving forward.
Aaron Judge acknowledged the core values of persistence and continuous growth in Luis Severino. His comments underlined the Yankees pitcher’s motivation to improve, capitalize on success, and further develop their performance in the upcoming appearances.
Manager Aaron Boone noted that Luis Severino’s recent performance showcased his potential. He pointed out that the Yankees starter had experienced positive outcomes during his practice sessions, which had contributed to a more relaxed mindset. Rather than overthinking various aspects of his game, Luis Severino seemed to have gained confidence in his preparation, allowing him to concentrate on the task at hand and carry out his strategies effectively.
Currently, Luis Severino maintains a 6.64 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP for the season; however, he has recently compiled a streak of 13.2 innings without allowing any runs. With his earlier difficulties appearing to be in the past, his main objective now is to steadily regain his top form during the final month of the season.
“I’m getting better,” Luis Severino said. “I feel really good. I’m working through everything that happened and getting better. I’m not letting all of that stuff get to me right now. I’m just focusing on the present and the games that we have.”
The Yankees manager acknowledged that he had experienced difficult and challenging periods during the season. Despite this, he highlighted that Luis Severino didn’t give up on his efforts and continued to put in the work to perform at his best and finish strong.
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