New York Yankees: This may have been the last of Luis Severino

Barring a surprise this offseason, Luis Severino’s time as a New York Yankee has probably come to a close.

After being removed from his start on Friday, it was announced that Severino had suffered a season-ending oblique injury, an anticlimactic ending to an awful season. Severino’s 2023 season finishes with a brutal 4-8 record and 6.65 ERA, although he had been better of late. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Severino is likely to enter free agency, ending a strong Yankees career.

Looking at Luis Severino’s time with the New York Yankees

Both 2016 and 2023 were awful seasons for the righty, but otherwise, Severino was a brilliant pitcher for a long time while wearing the pinstripes. In 141 appearances, Severino pitched to a 3.79 ERA, striking out 788 batters across 727.1 innings. The postseason was not very kind to Sevy, but in his best seasons, the 29-year-old looked like a bonafide ace. In 2017 and 2018, Severino finished in the top-10 of AL Cy Young voting, also earning All-Star nods in both years. 2019-2021 were tough seasons for Severino, as he made just seven appearances, dealing with various arm injuries including a Tommy John Surgery.

For the 2023 season, losing Severino weakens an already depleted Yankees’ pitching staff. Injuries to Severino, Carlos Rodon, and Nestor Cortes has forced Clarke Schmidt, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez into larger roles. Even after a victory against Milwaukee on Sunday night, the Yankees’ playoff chances are slim to none.

Severino has been in the Yankees’ organization since he signed as a 17-year-old free agent in 2011, making his debut in August of 2015. Ahead of his debut, the Yankees declined to include Severino in potential trades for the likes of David Price, Cole Hamels, and Johnny Cueto in 2015.

So, where does this leave Severino in the pantheon of great New York Yankees starting pitchers? Certainly, Severino is the best homegrown pitcher produced by the Yankees since Andy Pettitte, even with the clunker of a final season. At his best, Severino was a top of the rotation stalwart, but sadly, our last memories of the explosive righty will be those of futility.