Yankees Could Find Rotation Fix With Former All-Star

The New York Yankees and Luis Severino ended on a sour note. 2023 was bad for everybody not named Aaron Judge, and nobody had it worse than Severino. That season, he posted a 6.65 ERA in 89.1 innings.

It wasn't until a year later that he revitalized his career with the Mets. It wasn't just that he had a decent season by conventional standards, but Severino logged the most innings he ever had since 2018, when you could place his name up there with the likes of Jacob deGrom.

Oct 3, 2018; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino (40) celebrates after making the last out while bases were loaded during the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics in the 2018 American League wild card playoff baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Athletics were hoping for much of the same when they opened their wallets, which tend to collect dust in the offseason. They signed Severino to a three-year $67 million deal, with a player option for 2027.

Sacramento Woes

He posted a commendable 162.2 innings in Sacramento, but it wasn't what the Athletics were hoping for. Playing in a minor league stadium also wasn't what Severino hoped for either.

At home, Severino posted a 6.01 ERA in 82.1 innings pitched. That is an absurd 55 earned runs in half the innings he logged.

Jun 2, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Luis Severino (40) is attended to by team trainer while under the watchful eye of Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Those numbers were cut in half on the road. On the road, he was even better than his resurgent season in Flushing. Away from Sacramento, Severino had a 3.02 ERA in 80.1 innings.

On the Move?

One person who believes Severino could be on the move is the Athletic's Jim Bowden. According to him, the team can start dangling him depending on a return, and also, how he performs.

"However, if he pitches well in spring training or the first half of the season, I can see the A's trying to trade him if they can get a decent return. They've made it clear to other teams that they are not interested in just dumping him for salary relief. It's up to him now — if can pitch like he did with the Mets in 2024, he could get his wish to not pitch half his games in Sacramento this season."

A Reunion?

While Bowden does mention that the Athletics aren't looking for a salary dump, for a Severino and Yankees reunion to even work, they'd have to eat some money. There's no way the Yankees would assume $20+ million for this year and the next.

Although if the money lines up, he could bolster the rotation. Even with an ugly season at home, Severino still posted a 2.5 WAR, according to Fangraphs. It's actually higher than his 2.1 WAR with the Mets and his highest since 2018, when he made the All-Star Game and was the staff ace.

If the Yankees are intent on a reunion with Severino, though, it should be said that he isn't the same pitcher as he once was. He's still a hard thrower, averaging 96.2 MPH on his fastball, but his K/9 is way down. Last year, Severino saw a career low with a 6.86 K/9. He hasn't hit double digits in that category since — you guessed it — 2018.

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