New York Yankees: Luis Severino Not Guaranteed Rotation Spot

Luis Severino could be the odd man out in the New York Yankees rotation when he returns from injury.

It wasn’t too long ago that Luis Severino was considered the crown jewel of the New York Yankees farm system, at least as it pertained to pitching. However, in 2016, Severino has had a rough go of it thus far, and as a result, his role going forward seems uncertain.

Severino was injured on May 13, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right triceps strain. While injuries are never good, the time off could arguably benefit Severino, who was struggling previously. In seven starts, Severino has a record of 0-6, with a 7.46 ERA, and a 5.46 FIP.

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Severino, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports, will throw this weekend as he works his way back to full health. However, the Yankees haven’t decided what his role will be upon returning, manager Joe Girardi said.

“Well, we haven’t talked about any changes,” Girardi said. “Obviously the biggest thing is you’ve got to get [Severino] healthy and see where he’s at. We haven’t talked about, ‘This is what we’re going to do.'”

The good news for the Yankees at this point, is time is on their side. Severino isn’t ready to return yet, so the Yankees have the ability to let this play out a bit more. Severino will need a minimum of one rehab start, Girardi said, and things could change. Perhaps Severino is able to make everything click once again, and fulfill the high expectations that were bestowed upon him before he even debuted in the Major Leagues. If he pitches well when he returns, even if it’s in a long-relief bullpen role at first, Severino would likely find himself back in the rotation at some point.

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For now, the Yankees appear content to take the wait-and-see approach with their rotation. If Severino is able to bounce back in the rotation when he’s healthy and turn his season around, that would certainly benefit the Yankees, who currently sit in fifth place in the AL East. New York will exercise patience in this scenario, though, and ultimately make a decision when Severino is closer to returning.