Luis Severino booed off the mound at Yankee Stadium, Gunnar Henderson thrives for Orioles
NEW YORK ― Luis Severino missed the first seven weeks of the Yankees’ 2023 season due to a lat strain, and he’s essentially still missing now.
As a starter, Severino is completely adrift, and at a loss to explain why.
“I’ve not been myself,’’ Severino said softly, after another early knockout Thursday night. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this bad of a pitcher my whole life.’’
Severino’s struggles continued at Yankee Stadium, where he lasted just 2.2 innings in the Baltimore Orioles’ eventual 14-1 victory.
All told, Severino was charged with seven runs on 10 hits and a walk, bumping his seasonal ERA to 7.38 in nine starts.
Over his last seven starts, Severino has posted a 9.48 ERA, yielding 53 hits, 15 walks and 10 home runs in 31.1 innings.
And that includes six shutout innings on June 24, against the Texas Rangers, the AL’s best offensive club.
In Baltimore’s seven-run third inning, Severino’s 77th and final pitch was an 0-2 fastball Gunnar Henderson grounded to center for an RBI single.
A moment later, the right-hander was booed off the mound by the agitated Stadium crowd.
And it's not a great look for the Yankees (48-40), splitting this four-game series after winning the first two against Baltimore (51-35) and having to use Isiah Kiner-Falefa for a scoreless ninth inning.
It's the fourth time in the last 19 games that a Yankees position player has been called to the mound in a blowout. Baltimore, meanwhile, scored its most runs since a 15-10 win over Boston last Aug. 19 and had 20 hits, its high since 21 in an 18-5 victory over Cleveland on June 6, 2021.
Luis Severino's place in the Yankees rotation
The Yankees anticipated a healthy Severino to form a formidable top of the rotation, with ace Gerrit Cole and free agent lefty Carlos Rodon, due to make his 2023 debut Friday night.
Nestor Cortes (shoulder) should return to the rotation by late July.
Domingo German is two starts removed from pitching a perfect game, though he owns a 4.52 ERA, and rookies Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito have been far more reliable than Severino, 29, a former two-time All-Star now in his free agent walk year.
The notion of skipping Severino in the rotation is “not a real question right now,’’ said manager Aaron Boone, with next week’s All-Star break at least serving as a pause.
“We’ll obviously dive deep here these next couple of days and we’ll continue to try to get him right.’’
At least the Yankees are satisfied that Severino is healthy; his velocity has not been at issue, and the right-hander insists he’s feeling strong.
“This is one of the more challenging (times) of his career in terms of the lack of success,’’ said Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake. “It’s the injury bug that gets him, and when he’s healthy he’s good.
“But I think this is the first time we’ve seen him take a handful of starts in a row and feel physically fine and not have the results follow.’’
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Is Luis Severino tipping pitches?
Severino has fallen into periods where he’s tipping pitches, and he mentioned that as a possible issue.
But whether it’s inconsistency, pitch sequencing, the shapes of his breaking pitches or plain old poor execution, “I’m not doing my job right now,’’ said Severino. “I just need to figure out what’s going on.
“I don’t feel good about any of my pitches right now.’’
Blake acknowledged pitch-tipping as a potential issue, but he did not feel that was going on Thursday night.
Yet, Severino’s confidence has doubtless taken a hit, and it started with Thursday’s first batter.
Henderson led off the game with a short, opposite-field homer to left, and the Yanks’ defense was a bit shaky behind Severino – with novice left fielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa taking a questionable route on Ryan O’Hearn’s third inning RBI double.
A few grounders and liners just eluded Yankee gloves, but the Orioles’ contact against Severino was consistent, and he struggled to put away hitters.
“Early on in the game, the worst thing that could happen is a fly ball to left that leaves the yard,’’ said Blake, not discounting the confidence crisis theory.
“I do feel good about the work he’s putting in and when he’s healthy, and the work is good, the success usually follows.
“That’s been the hard part for him. It hasn’t translated yet.’’