Yankees' Luis Severino Throws Seven No-Hit Innings in Final Start of Regular Season
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In his final start of the regular season, and his third since returning from the 60-day injured list, Yankees right-hander Luis Severino pitched seven hitless innings against the Rangers at Globe Life Field in Texas on Monday night.
Severino was untouchable, striking out seven batters and facing the minimum. The only Ranger he didn't retire was left fielder Josh H. Smith, who walked in his first plate appearance in the third inning. Severino got out of that third inning with a double play two pitches later.
New York's right-hander was rolling as he finished his final frame, lighting up the radar gun with one of his fastest pitches of the night—a 99.5-mph four-seam fastball—to strike out Nathaniel Lowe.
That offering was his 94th pitch of the game, meaning it would've required much more than 100 pitches to finish off the no-hitter. After a tough conversation with Yankees manager Aaron Boone in New York's dugout, Severino submitted and began to cool down, watching as reliever Miguel Castro replaced him for the eighth inning.
Severino entered play on a pitch count, still building up from his stint on the IL. He had thrown 76 pitches in his previous outing, last week against the Blue Jays, mentioning after the game that he was shooting for 90 in his next start.
With Severino out of the game, there was still a chance for a combined no-hitter. Castro, who was making his first appearance since July 10, returning from a shoulder strain, promptly allowed a one-out single to third baseman Josh Jung.
New York lost the no-hitter—and Aaron Judge continued to sit on 61 home runs, going 1-for-4 with a check-swing single—but the Yankees came away with the victory, their 98th of the year. Reliever Scott Effross closed it out with a perfect ninth inning, preserving a 3-1 lead.
Severino might be frustrated that he wasn't able to continue with his no-hit bid, but he has to be encouraged heading into the playoffs. Considering the right-hander missed two-plus months with a low grade right lat strain, and is in his first full season since Tommy John surgery in 2020, this was about as good of a tune-up before the playoffs that you could ask for.
The 28-year-old finishes the 2022 campaign with his best start of the year, ending the season with a 3.18 ERA over 19 starts, striking out 112 batters in 102 frames.
If Severino can pitch as well as he did on Monday in the playoffs, working in a rotation that already includes ace Gerrit Cole and All-Star Nestor Cortes, it bodes well for New York's pursuit of a World Series title, that's for sure.
MORE:
- Aroldis Chapman Loses Control in Postseason Audition
- How Yankees' Matt Carpenter Is Positioning Himself For Postseason Return
- Yankees' Ron Marinaccio Exits Game With Injury Scare
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