9:05pm: Boone tells reporters (including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com) that Severino has tested negative and will travel with the team to Toronto for this weekend’s series.
3:34pm: Severino has not tested positive for COVID, Boone told reporters (including Lindsey Adler of the Athletic). He’d experienced viral symptoms overnight but has improved today.
2:26pm: The Yankees have placed starter Luis Severino on the COVID-19 injured list, meaning he won’t start tonight’s ballgame against the Rays as scheduled. That assignment will go to Clarke Schmidt, while right-hander Ryan Weber has been selected onto the big league roster in Severino’s place.
Severino has pitched brilliantly in 11 turns through the rotation. He owns a 2.80 ERA across 61 innings, striking out an excellent 28.7% of batters faced while walking a mere 6.1% of opponents. It’s been a welcome development to see him back in that role after he was limited to seven MLB appearances between 2019-21. The two-time All-Star missed the bulk of the 2019 season battling lat and shoulder troubles, then he underwent Tommy John surgery in February 2020. Groin and shoulder issues cropped up during last season’s rehab process, keeping him from getting back on a major league mound until September.
Once healthy, Severino more or less picked up where he’d left off as one of the game’s top starters. He’s been part of arguably the league’s best starting staff, as the Yankees top quintet all have an ERA of 3.33 or better. Nestor Cortes, Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, Jameson Taillon and Severino have combined to start 60 of the club’s 62 ballgames, but they’ll perhaps have to dip into their depth to cover a Severino absence.
The club did not specify whether Severino has tested positive for the virus or is being scratched due to symptoms or exposure. Players who test positive are subject to a 10-day absence under the 2022 health and safety protocols, although it’s possible to return sooner if the player subsequently tests negative twice and gains clearance from a trio of medical professionals (one each appointed by the league and MLBPA, as well as the team physician). Players who experience viral symptoms but don’t test positive can return as soon as their symptoms abate.
Weber, 31, is headed to the majors for an eighth consecutive season. He’s worked as a swing player for virtually his entire career, starting 16 of his 63 appearances. A control artist who generates plenty of ground-balls, Weber doesn’t throw particularly hard or miss many bats. He’s nevertheless caught the attention of various clubs as a depth arm based on his ability to work multiple innings. Assuming he makes it into a game with the Yankees, Weber will have suited up for six different teams at the major league level.
The Florida native had cups of coffee with each of the Mariners, Red Sox and Brewers last year. He tallied a combined 9 2/3 innings of 13-run ball, bringing his career ERA up to 5.28. Weber signed a minor league deal with New York this past offseason and has spent the year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, working to a 2.95 mark through eight outings (four starts). He’s walked just one of the 89 batters he’s faced in the minors this year and will offer a long relief possibility for manager Aaron Boone.
Houston, we have a problem.
Problem solved. Yankees SWEEP!!!
Get well, if he’s even sick. Sometimes players go on the Covid IL being asymptomatic.
A break for the Rays, although Schmidt can be nasty.
Get well soon Acerino.
Lol!
This is funny?
Yes. Very funny.
I guess you are living up to your name,
What are you talking about? It’s hilarious watching these guys get “covid.”
Forgive me if I don’t get it, but it’s difficult for me to understand stupidity. Also, you must be a Rays fan.
Didn’t mean to overload your thought process. Sorry. I still find it hilarious all these players getting covid all the time funny though.
Dude, what is wrong with you?
Nothing. I just do not believe all these players are getting covid. Doesn’t make sense. That’s it.
From the article, “ The club did not specify whether Severino has tested positive for the virus” Update: “3:34pm: Severino has not tested positive for COVID, Boone told reporters.”
So, it appears these players may not actually be getting Covid, but have symptoms consistent with Covid. The reason for separating them (whether Covid or the flu) is so the rest of the team doesn’t end up sick.
It’s about as funny as a cold
While I don’t necessarily find it funny, there’s no question that multiple teams have used the Covid protocol to manage their pitching staff and give certain pitchers a few days off to rest without having to make an official roster transaction. At some point, MLB will need to put a stop to the ‘viral symptom’ loophole and only allow this for positive Covid tests and true, close contacts. Hopefully, this is the last season where we’ll need to deal with Covid protocols at all.
Ok now I just don’t care. I was just going off the “lol” comment that lead it off. There is no way as a baseball fan you haven’t wondered about all the covid cases. It said he was placed on the covid 19 injured list. It’s time to stop with all this covid nonsense and get on with life. I probably should have explained myself more since people can’t read my mind. Got it?
Agreed Mantooth. I find it ridiculous that teams put players on Covid list without actually evidence they have it.
No one wants to read the s**t show in your mind.
Clown show seems to be a perfect candidate for the mute button.
Lol.
Have you actually gotten COVID?
Sure did. Had it pretty bad.
@Dorothy. The Yankees could have just given Severino the night off, and managed the roster fine.
And so it begins…
Perfect time for a Domingo Germán return?
There’s never a perfect time for that, unless the Red Sox want him.
Covid is sweeping through the baseball world like nobody’s business. These guys seem to get it more than the rest of the world put together. Probably surpasses Tommy John Surgery recipients lately.
What “Covid”?
Clearly, monkeypox.
; )
Big break for the Rays looking to avoid a sweep. He was coming off back to back 10K, 1 ER starts too.
Although, considering the limited innings pitched in recent years, skipping two or three starts may work out for Sevy in the long run.
Probably only one start.
Series already won, needs to skip some starts anyways, opportunity for Schimdt to have an extended outing, it’s all good.
On to Toronto to punish the Jays……
The Yankees starting staff has been incredibly healthy, and probably the key reason for their success, although there are many. Hopefully this is just a blip.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Agreed Clipper. take them down off their high horse. Murderers row is back baby.
Although I always took COVID seriously (wore a mask until most of the mandates were lifted, recieved the vaccination, etc), I really didn’t know the full extent of what it can do to you until I got it in March. It was only a weak strand that took me out for about a week, but being fatigured, losing my voice completley, even making it hard to breathe through my mouth, along with other cold symptoms felt awful. Didn’t help that it left me with a cough for a month+. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if I contracted a stronger variant/strain.
Yes, although it varies. I’ve known people who contracted the early version and barely noticed it, although one friend died. I’ve known others who caught the latter version, omicron, and most were ok, although one got very ill. Very high rate of reinfections going on now, whether people had Covid, took the vaccine, or both. It’ll be with us forever now, but hopefully less impactful.
I got it and didn’t realize it until I was over it. Only way I knew was I lost my taste and smell for about 8 months.
I got it and thought death came early… it was horrible. Much worse than the flu for me. Hospital was no fun either.
Clip, didn’t realize you had that severe a case. Glad you’re well.
I wish the roster was 27 players
Yankees put him on COVID list so they could carry a fresh arm with them to Toronto tomorrow. He will come off the IL on Monday guaranteed.
Why would the Yankees not have wanted Severino to pitch on five days’ rest coming off a 6-inning gem with a chance to sweep the Rays at Yankee Stadium instead of burning arms in the bullpen, not knowing how any of the relievers would fare against the Rays?
This I Never Expected.
Would of been nice to have Shelby Miller as an option now.
I Need Some Honest About Luis Severino,If He Tests Negative For The Next 2 Days In A Row & They Don’t Expand To A 6 Man Rotation,Then Would His Next Start Be On Tuesday?
So, he is now free to travel with the team and spread the flu, which kills people too.
Name a country that closes its borders to keep out influenza.
Nice night from the Yankee pen. 1 run over 9 innings and a Rizzo walking homer in the 9th
It was a weakened Rays lineup, but I’ll gladly take the sweep.
Not to take anything away from the great team Cashman assembled for this season, but, boy, the Gallo trade looks worse by the day.
Ezequiel Duran was the hero in the Rangers’ win tonight, and he and Josh Smith, another player from that trade, lead the Rangers in BA and OPS. Small sample, for sure, and both might struggle as pitchers get the book on them, but so far, they look like nice pick-ups for the Rangers.
Another acquisition, Glenn Otto, is 4-2 in 8 starts for the Rangers; and down in the minors, Trevor Hauver was Southeast League Player of the Month in May.
Softening the blow, Cashman also got Joely Rodriguez in that trade and then flipped him for Castro, who’s been good for 3 wins and 0 losses so far.
Sure would be nice, though, if Joey would start hitting enough to even the score.
@Fink Ployd
I’m almost hesitant to trade Gallo for fear of messing with whatever chemistry is at play in the clubhouse right now. I can’t imagine him bringing back his own value at this point. Given the trajectory the team is on, it’s a good % he ends up contributing. Unless some team just wants to pay up to fool with him in their lineup. Hicks is looking like sunk cost, but hopefully they’ll do what it takes to add some value.
Duran does look good. He’s adjusting.
I think they could do fine without them, it would be addition by subtraction matter what they got back
I hear you, Dock. Clubhouse chemistry can’t be quantified but it’s a real factor in a team sport with a long slog of a season. I mention the early returns for the Rangers in the trade to suggest that it was an overpay by Cashman; but I’m not concerned about Gallo’s struggles when it’s not possible to say how much his power potential lengthens the lineup even with his high strikeout propensity. I feel no urgency to trade him. He fields his position, runs well, and reportedly he’s liked in the clubhouse.
Does anyone else find the Yankees pitching staff’s success this year to be a little suspicious? I feel like it’s the pink elephant that no one is acknowledging. And baseball loves to bury its head in the sand, when it comes to this type of thing.
Cole has been great for a while (although he dropped off a bit last year), and Severino is great when healthy. But Cortes, Montgomery, and Taillon haver always been average at best, and suddenly they’re looking like Cy Young contenders? And they all happen to be doing it on the same team and at the same time. Not to mention Clay Holmes and Michael King, who are 2 of the most dominant relievers in baseball this season, and neither was better than average before they joined the Yankees.
Are we supposed to believe all of these average (or below) pitchers suddenly just so happen to discovered the key to dominance at the same time? I’m not saying they’re cheating, but it sure looks suspicious.
It’s called Matt Blake the Jedi master.
Explain how cheating could be the reason for Holmes improving. Cheating how?
He owned a 10.1 K/9 with the Pirates in 2019 but his BB/9 was 6.5. This year, his K/9 is 9.4 but his BB/9 is 0.9. How does a pitcher cheat to reduce his walks without increasing his strikeout rate?
He’s checked for foreign substances after every inning, same as all the other pitchers. So are all the Yankee pitchers.
Sounds like you don’t know much about Montgomery or Taillon.
What team do you root for?
Let me guess. You are a Yankee fan.
I was pretty sure that comment would get a Yankee fan upset.
First, I said it was suspicious. I didn’t say they were cheating. But it certainly looks that way.
And just like most fans. I didn’t know how pitchers were cheating with the sticky stuff, until it came out. So if they are cheating, I don’t know how.
But you’re saying it isn’t odd at all that 5 pitchers, on the same team, in the same season are having career years? Nothing odd at all?
And if you’re looking for stats – Montgomery has 400+ career innings with an ERA a full run higher than this year. Cortes has 200+ career innings with an ERA almost 2 full runs higher than this year. Taillon has well over 600 career innings with an ERA almost a full run higher than this year. Clay Holmes has over 150 career innings with an ERA over 4, but this season 0.29. Yes, you read that correctly – 0.29. And King has over 100 career innings with an ERA over 4, but this season 2.55.
Again, I get that pitches can improve and have break out seasons, but 5 at the same time and on the same team.
No, I’m not looking for stats.
They have a great pitching coach.
Don’t want to say which team you root for?