Former Yankees starter Luis Severino is staying in New York as he and the Mets reached a one-year, $13 million deal on Wednesday night, as confirmed by The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman. However, Yankees fans don’t expect him to make a major impact with their cross-town rivals.
The 29-year-old right-hander, a former Yankee, experienced both highs and injuries during his time in The Bronx. Over nearly eight seasons with the Yankees, Luis Severino earned two All-Star selections and posted a 3.79 ERA. However, his most recent season was challenging, starting with a right lat strain that landed him on the injured list. Upon his mid-May return, Luis Severino struggled, recording a 6.65 ERA in 18 starts and 89 ¹/₃ innings.
Luis Severino’s unceremonious exit
With the Mets, the expectation is for Luis Severino’s exceptional potential to overcome injury concerns as they look to address gaps in their pitching rotation.
Joining with manager Carlos Mendoza, his former bench coach with the Yankees, Luis Severino becomes part of a pitching rotation featuring established talents such as Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana, alongside depth options including Tylor Megill, Jose Butto, and Joey Lucchesi.
The absence of David Peterson, recovering from hip surgery in November and expected to be out until May or June, adds significance to Luis Severino’s role. This deal provides Luis Severino with a chance to rediscover his form and showcase his value before entering free agency again in the following offseason.
In his prime during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Luis Severino established himself as one of the premier pitchers in the league. Over this span, he posted a 3.18 ERA, accumulating 450 strikeouts in 63 starts and covering 384 ²/₃ innings. His standout performances earned him a third-place finish in the AL Cy Young voting in 2017 and a ninth-place finish in 2018.
Capitalizing on Luis Severino’s success, the Yankees signed him to a four-year, $40 million contract extension with a $15 million club option for 2023 ahead of the 2019 season.
However, his trajectory took a downturn as he faced setbacks with rotator cuff inflammation and a Grade 2 lat strain in the spring, limiting him to just three starts in September of that year. In the 2020 spring, Luis Severino underwent Tommy John surgery, sidelining him until September 2021. His return was further delayed by a groin strain during his initial rehab assignment.
Despite managing a 3.18 ERA over 102 innings in 2022, Luis Severino faced challenges, including another lat strain and frustration with the Yankees transferring him to the 60-day IL. While expectations were high for a promising walk year in 2023, he encountered difficulties and failed to find his rhythm.
He sustained the lat strain towards the end of spring training, causing him to sit out the initial seven weeks of the season. Upon his return, Luis Severino faced ongoing challenges, leading him to label himself as “the worst pitcher in the game” after a start in Baltimore on July 30.
The Yankees explored various strategies to address Luis Severino’s struggles, experimenting with an opener in front of him for a game, but without success. He later conceded that he was preoccupied with his impending free agency during the early part of the season.
Yankees fans brand him a waste of money
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