Inside The Mets

Mets’ Hurler’s Candid Take on Ex-Team Winning World Series Raises Eyebrows

This Mets' star hurler's honest response about wanting to see his old team win a World Series is grabbing headlines.
Grant Young|
Jul 10, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino (40) delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino (40) delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports | Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

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New York MetsNew York Yankees

Mets starter Luis Severino spent the first eight seasons of his MLB career with New York’s other team. 

And while Severino's loyalty to the Mets isn't questioned, that doesn’t mean he’s rooting for the Yankees to fail. 

Before the Subway Series’ second leg begins on Tuesday, Mike Puma of the New York Post published an article that asked Severino whether he wants to see the Yankees succeed without him.

“For me, if we’re not winning the World Series I would rather the Yankees win the World Series,” Severino said. “I have made a lot of friends there, not just players, but coaches and staff that I stay in touch with, so if we don’t win it I would want the Yankees to.” 

Severino signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Mets this past offseason. 

When asked whether he’d watch a World Series that featured his former team, Severino said, “A hundred percent. And I would be rooting for the Yankees. 

“I will not wear a Yankees hat, but I will be rooting inside for my guys,” he added. 

The 30-year-old’s relationship with his former teammates made headlines when Severino told reporters on Friday that he still keeps in touch with members of the Yankees’ organization via group chat. 

Despite Severino’s pleas to pitch against the Yankees during this year’s Subway Series, Mets’ manager Carlos Mendoza has elected to start lefties against them. 

This prompted Severino’s former teammates to tease him in that group chat, even going so far as to say he’s “afraid of them."

Severino’s response?

“I’m not afraid. Right now, you only have two good hitters. I can walk those two guys."

While that comment caught a lot of attention, Severino noted that his ex-teammates didn’t take the words to heart.

“There were a lot of people, but I know that the guys from the team know that I was joking,” Severino said. “A lot of fans went crazy about it. The guys that I really care about are the team and they knew I was joking around. Sometimes somebody is going to be pissed but in the end I wasn’t trying to hurt anybody.” 

On Tuesday, Severino will return to Yankee Stadium for the first time since leaving the team. 

He’s expecting to hear boo’s. 

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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