Yankees Kick Off First Visit to A's Temporary Stadium With Luis Severino's Showcase
A Fresh Take on Luis Severino's Journey Post-Yankees
After a tumultuous departure from the Yankees, Luis Severino vented his emotions in an emotional postgame interview, discussing his high-grade left oblique strain on Sept 8, 2023. Despite blundering against the Milwaukee Brewers, Severino managed to push through the season unscathed. However, it was clear the Yankees would not make an attempt to re-sign him, leading him to sign a one-year deal with the fierce rivals – the New York Mets – a little over three months later.
Severino thrived in his new surroundings, pitching 182 innings, his most since 2018. A combination of his stellar accomplishments – 35-14 record in a two-year span – and his unfortunate run of injuries – limited to 45 appearances and 209 1/3 innings over the duration of his contract – earned him a five-year contract in the 2019 spring training season. Although his 2024 season with the Mets was marked by an 11-game winning streak and a helping hand in their NLCS journey, he never got to face his former team. His joke about the Yankees only having "two hitters" sparked laughs, chuckles, and discussions, initially made in a group text chat with his past and current Yankees colleagues in July.
As his tenure in Queens came to an end, Severino signed a three-year deal with the A's, the largest in franchise history. While he started well against other lineups, facing the Yankees proved particularly challenging. The only former Yankees on the A's ballot were Aaron Judge, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, Ben Rice, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Severino himself. They combined to go 5-for-10 against him, leading to his ERA climbing to 4.70. Despite privately seething or even considering the comment as motivational bulletin board material, the Yankees chose the diplomatic route, with Aaron Judge conforming that Severino was a tough at-bat in a public statement.
Severino's time with the A's was marred by inconsistencies, including a stretch of poor performances mainly at home. "It's tough to pitch here," Severino admitted, confessing that adjusting to the new environment was challenging. Meanwhile, the dynamic Yankees offense – leading the sport in homers while appearing more athletic – showed no signs of slowing down, sporting double-digit hits for the eighth time through 40 games in 2025.
Aaron Boone, the Yankees' manager, brushed off Severino's comments as playful banter, suspecting that he was just having some fun. Severino's quip may have had some validity during the Yankees' slump in the past. However, with the postseason proving to be the true test, the Yankees still have a lot of ground to cover before they can fully prove themselves against the best. As they gear up for the Subway Series and Juan Soto's return, they are setting themselves up for a thrilling battle against a more athletic version of their long-standing rivals. Ben Rice, one of the Yankees' promising prospects, expressed his excitement about the team's offensive prowess, stating that they have players who can produce and do damage.
The departed Luis Severino, now donning the uniform of the New York Mets, had a mixed tenure with his former rival team, the Yankees, after his controversial comment about their limited hitting abilities. In his following stint with the Oakland A's, Severino faced his ex-team and only fared moderately well, struggling against the power-packed Yankees' lineup in Major League Baseball.
