Luis Severino doesn’t have to pack his bags after this deal.
The former Yankee pitcher and the New York Mets agreed to a modest $13 million/1-year deal Wednesday night, as The NY Post’s Jon Heyman & MLB Network’s Mark Feinsand reported.
Severino, who will be turning 30 in February, was once seen as the initial rising star during the “Baby Bomber” era. He debuted with the major league club in 2015 after signing as an international free agent on December 11, 2011. Initially agreeing to terms with the Colorado Rockies, a Yankees scout matched their offer and convinced Severino to play for the team he had grown up a fan of. At 21, he was the youngest pitcher to make a start during the 2015 season. In his debut against the Boston Red Sox, Severino became the first AL pitcher in MLB history to record seven strikeouts and zero walks, allowing no more than two hits in a major league debut.
For a time, Severino was considered one of the top young talents in the league. Across the 2017 and 2018 seasons, he pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 450 strikeouts across 63 starts and 384 ²/₃ innings. He placed third in AL Cy Young voting in 2017 and ninth in 2018. This success prompted the Yankees to offer Severino a $40 million contract extension with a $15 million club option before the 2019 season.
Injuries soon began to pile up for the young Severino, who pitched a 3.79 ERA over eight seasons for the Yankees, with his worst year being in 2023 (6.65 ERA in 89.3 IP).
During the 2020 season, Severino underwent Tommy John surgery, effectively knocking him out of the Yankees rotation until September 2021. Severino then posted a 3.18 ERA through 109 IP during the 2022 season but was angered by the Yankees transferring him to the 60-day IL.
Once Severino returned during Spring Training in 2023, a lat strain sidelined him for the first seven weeks of the season, and he never got back on track. His struggles fueled his response to the press regarding his performance after a bout with the Baltimore Orioles, saying he was “The worst pitcher in the game.”
Throughout his struggles, Severino has maintained that his talent and “stuff” is still there. Now it will be up to newly appointed Mets manager and familiar face, Carlos Mendoza, to bring his talent to the forefront.
Severino joins a rotation of proven starters, including Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana, along with depth options Tylor Megill, Jose Butto, and Joey Lucchesi. David Peterson is expected to be out until May or June after undergoing hip surgery in November.
That broke my heart because i know how good he is . Very smart on mound i bet he called alot of his own pitches . Good fielder too . I for one will miss him . Wish him the best health .