A member of the Mets in 2024, Luis Severino never got an opportunity to face the team that essentially raised him.
That would be the Yankees, who employed the right-hander from the time he signed as a teen out of the Dominican Republic in 2012 until he joined the Bombers’ crosstown rival on a one-year deal two offseasons ago. An ace at times and a Cy Young finalist in 2017, Severino’s tenure with the Yankees was hindered by injuries. His 2023 send-off, meanwhile, was the worst season of his career, as he posted a 6.65 ERA over 19 games.
However, Severino’s prove-it deal with the Mets worked out well, as he recorded a 3.91 ERA over 31 starts in 2024 before signing a three-year, $67 million contract with the nomadic Athletics over the winter. Now Severino will finally pitch against the Yankees in Sacramento on Sunday as the two teams wrap up a three-game series.
It looked like that opportunity would come last season, but the Mets altered their rotation plans for the Subway Series twice in order to throw lefties at the Yankees, who struggled against southpaws in 2024. At the time, Severino quipped that the Yankees “only have two good hitters.”
The pitcher was talking about Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. While Judge remains a lethal threat in the Yankees’ lineup, Soto is now a Met after signing with them in December.
Severino, meanwhile, is off to a solid start with the A’s, who had to pay extra for the two-time All-Star because they’re playing in a minor league ballpark. The 31-year-old owns a 3.62 ERA over eight starts. He’s 1-3 with 17 walks and 38 strikeouts over 49.2 innings.
