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It was more a peek than a full view, but Luis Severino carried an arsenal that looked a lot like the old Luis Severino.
In his 2022 debut and his first start since Game 3 of the 2019 ALCS, the one-time ace showed off stuff that could potentially enable him to resemble a co-ace with Gerrit Cole. A lot has to happen for Severino to become the Severino of old, but the velocity has returned before the results.
After a brutal three seasons — his 2019 lasting 12 innings and needing Tommy John surgery in February 2020, his 2020 season wiped away and 2021 largely lost to a groin strain and shoulder tightness — Severino’s stuff often was vintage in Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, even if his line — three-plus innings, two runs on five hits with five strikeouts through 65 pitches — was far from it.
“I thought overall he threw the ball really well,” manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees’ bullpen no-hit Boston once Severino was lifted. “I think it’s another building block. … The one mistake, otherwise I thought he was pretty sharp.”
The one mistake was a fastball to Alex Verdugo that ran over the plate and was crushed to right to put the Yankees into a 2-0 hole in the second inning.
Severino did not receive much defensive help behind him Saturday. Prior to the Verdugo’s homer, Anthony Rizzo could not make a tough play on what would have been a foul out from J.D. Martinez, who then hit a grounder that Isiah Kiner-Falefa could not field cleanly, ahead of Verdugo’s shot.
Later in the inning, Joey Gallo was slow reading a Trevor Story liner to left, making him dive — and whiff — for what would have been an out and became a double.
Severino had to rely on his stuff to strand Story. He dueled for 12 pitches with Christian Vazquez, which included a 100.3 mph fastball. Boone nearly had to pull the righty, whose pitch count was running high, but Severino induced a soft comeback to escape trouble.
To start his first full season of presumed full health since 2018, the 28-year-old’s fastball averaged 97.8 mph. During his All-Star campaign in 2017, when he pitched to a 2.98 ERA through 31 starts, he averaged 97.6 mph with the pitch. Last year, in his six innings following injuries, he averaged 95.3 mph.
Severino said “of course” it gives him hope that he can return to the star he was a few years back, but he is not focusing on radar guns.
“I wasn’t trying to throw 100. … I think I made good pitches, it doesn’t matter if it’s 100 or 95,” Severino said. “I think [mixing it up] is part of my game now.”
With the better velocity, though, his other offerings improve, too. All three of his third-inning strikeouts finished with changeups.
Everything was encouraging except one pitch and one third-inning mishap. Severino took the mound without the PitchCom device in his cap that allows him to hear the pitch call. Pitching coach Matt Blake had to visit with the tiny speaker that Severino forgot. Kyle Higashioka tried to call a pitch, and nothing happened.
“I didn’t hear him,” Severino said with a laugh.
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