Luis Severino

Yankees Notes: Judge, Deadline Approach, Florial

By Steve Adams | July 19, 2023 at 5:33pm CDT

The Yankees have dropped three straight games and have now tallied just two victories in their past 10 contests. Sitting in the unfamiliar setting of last place in the American League East, there are mounting questions about the team’s trade deadline approach. It would be out of character, to say the least, for the Yankees to engineer a wide-scale selloff at the deadline. And with New York still only two and a half games back from an AL Wild Card spot, that seems decidedly unlikely.

That said, the Yankees also have a porous roster, particularly with Aaron Judge on the injured list and facing a nebulous timeline for his return. General manager Brian Cashman said yesterday that it’s fair to characterize Judge’s return as “close” before taking a noncommittal stance on whether that constituted a matter of days or weeks (link via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). It remains unclear when the reigning AL MVP will return to the lineup; the Yankees are hitting .223/.294/.374 as a team in his absence.

With the team reeling and currently in the AL East cellar, there have naturally been calls from the fans for the Yankees to sell at the deadline, a possibility that was discussed on the most recent episode of the MLBTR Podcast. At least to some extent, that could wind up being the case. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote this morning that the Yankees could work to dip under the top tier of the luxury tax in over the next couple weeks. Presumably, that’d come by dealing away short-term players — those who’ll reach free agency at season’s end or perhaps those controlled only through the 2024 season.

At least with regard to their crop of impending free agents, however, that could be easier said than done. Luis Severino has struggled to a 6.66 ERA in 48 2/3 innings thus far, and the underlying metrics don’t give much cause for optimism. His 17.4% strikeout rate is a career-low, and his 9.4% walk rate is the second-highest of his career. He’s averaged 2.22 homers per nine innings pitched, yielding hard contact at the highest rate of his career, and is sitting on career-low swinging-strike and opponents’ chase rates.

Utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa, meanwhile, is hitting just .251/.309/.369. That’s 11% worse than average, by measure of wRC+. Acquired to be a stopgap at shortstop, Kiner-Falefa has just eight innings at that position in 2023 and has been used primarily as an outfielder this season. Defensive metrics haven’t provided a strong review of his glovework there, however.

Center fielder Harrison Bader is also a free agent at season’s end and is playing his customary brand of standout defense. However, his .275 on-base percentage also ranks 295th of the 326 players with at least 150 plate appearances this season. His overall .246/.275/.427 batting line checks in below average.

Frankie Montas, of course, hasn’t thrown a pitch this season. Trading any of Severino ($15MM in 2023), Montas ($7.5MM), Kiner-Falefa ($6MM) or Bader ($4.7MM) could be enough to dip the Yankees under the top tier of luxury penalization, as Roster Resource currently has them at $294.1MM — just $1.1MM over the limit.

The most palatable rental option for the Yankees to trade would be southpaw Wandy Peralta, who’s earning $3.35MM this season. He’s currently sporting a 2.48 ERA, but his 19.5% strikeout rate is below average and his 13.6% walk rate is an obvious eyesore. Still, Peralta is averaging just shy of 96 mph on his heater and also possesses a huge 63.2% ground-ball rate.

Rosenthal speculates on the possibility of a Gleyber Torres trade, which could simultaneously fetch more talent in return and also trim payroll more than any of those rentals aside from Severino. He’s earning $9.95MM in 2023 and hitting a solid .264/.333/.430 with 14 homers. The Yankees also have an in-house, MLB-ready alternative in young Oswald Peraza, who struggled in the Majors earlier but is slashing a .261/.352/.495 in Triple-A.

Looking at the situation as a whole, however, the final tax barrier is an odd line to draw in the sand. It’s a purely monetary line of penalization, and the Yankees are only narrowly north of it. The Yankees already committed to having their top pick in next year’s draft pushed back by 10 places when they exceeded the third tier of penalty, which sits at $273MM.

Striving to dip under that threshold would perhaps be logical but also unrealistic; trimming more than $21MM from the remaining payroll at this juncture of the season would be immensely difficult. Trades at this stage would only spare the Yankees the remainder those players’ salaries. That’s roughly $5.3MM on Severino, $1.7MM on Bader, $2.1MM on Kiner-Falefa, $1.2MM on Peralta and $3.5MM on Torres. Even trading that entire quintet would only get the Yankees about two-thirds of the way there.

None of that even takes into consideration the possibility of the Yankees simultaneously adding pieces, either. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweeted earlier in the week that in addition to the Yankees’ desire to upgrade in the outfield, they’ve been monitoring the catching, starting pitching and bullpen markets. That wide swath of needs speaks to the predicament in which the Yankees currently find themselves, but it’s notable that as of Monday the team appeared set on — or at least open to adding some pieces. Both Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson and Rockies outfielder Randal Grichuk have been of some interest to the Yankees, per Feinsand. Carlson, controlled through 2026, would be an affordable and long-term solution in the outfield.

The Yankees potentially have another affordable and controllable option down in Triple-A, where former top prospect Estevan Florial has put together a huge season. Designated for assignment on Opening Day and unclaimed on waivers, Florial has batted .291/.388/.535 with an already career-high 21 homers in just 335 plate appearances.

That production hasn’t been enough to get him a look in the big leagues, however. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic took a look at Florial’s situation, speaking to Triple-A skipper Shelley Duncan and others about the 25-year-old’s work ethic and motivation in the wake of that DFA and subsequent outright. It’s frankly surprising that the Yankees have continued to lean on journeymen Jake Bauers, Willie Calhoun, Franchy Cordero and the aforementioned Kiner-Falefa in the outfield rather than give Florial some type of audition. Kuty suggests the team could look to trade him at the deadline, which could be a means of adding help in another area.

Broadly speaking, it’s strange to be discussing the Yankees in this context. They’re typically a motivated buyer at the trade deadline, one that has often acted aggressively and decisively in an effort to tighten their existing grip on a postseason spot. It’s a different feel in the Bronx this season, however, and various, simultaneous reports regarding payroll reduction, selling off short-term players and the possibility to add at virtually any spot on the roster only underscore the uncertainty surrounding the team.

We increasingly see modern front offices toe the line between “buyer” and “seller,” making moves in both directions in a given deadline season. The Yankees appear poised for such a hybrid approach to the ’23 deadline, though their play in the next couple weeks will surely prove instructive as well. If they’re able to right the ship and go on a winning streak of any note, Cashman & Co. could be emboldened to make moves that fall closer to the win-now side of the scale. Should the pendulum swing in the other direction, there’d be more urgency to take a step back and employ a longer-term focus.

The Yankees have one more game in Anaheim, where they’ve already lost two, before returning home to host struggling Royals and Mets teams for a combined five games. They’ll then head to Baltimore for three games and have one game against the division-leading Rays before the deadline rolls around. Their performance against a pair of sub-.500 teams on that homestand and in the subsequent four games against the top two teams in their own division will be worth watching with a careful eye; every win or loss is crucial at this point.

Yankees Activate Luis Severino

By Nick Deeds | May 21, 2023 at 9:12am CDT

The Yankees have activated right-hander Luis Severino from the 15-day IL, the team announced. The move corresponds with last night’s announcement that right-hander Jhony Brito had been optioned to Triple-A. Severino is set to start against the Reds this morning.

The 29-year-old Severino has immense talent, as shown by a 3.18 ERA, a 3.01 FIP, and 11 fWAR accumulated between 2018 and 2019. Unfortunately, Severino has struggled with his health since the end of the 2019 season, having thrown just 120 innings since then. 102 of those innings came last season, his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. While Severino was effective in his return from surgery, with a 3.18 ERA and 3.70 FIP, he continued to battle injuries last season as a lat strain caused him to miss two months of the 2022 campaign. While Severino appeared to be healthy headed into the spring, the right-hander suffered another lat strain just before Opening Day, leaving him to make his 2023 regular season debut nearly two months into the season.

Severino’s return is a breath of fresh air for a Yankees rotation that has struggled to find production outside of ace Gerrit Cole. Both Carlos Rodon and Frankie Montas have yet to throw a pitch for the Yankees this year, while Nestor Cortes has joined youngsters Clarke Schmidt and Brito in struggling to ERAs over 5.00 so far this season. Right-hander Domingo German has been solid, with a 3.75 ERA over nine starts, but was recently suspended for violating the league’s foreign substance policy.

Additionally, Severino’s contract expires at the end of this season, making his 2023 performance the platform on which he’ll build his case to potential suitors in free agency after the season ends. The 2023 free agent class, headlined by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, figures to be fairly deep in terms of pitching, with the likes of Sonny Gray, Julio Urias, Lucas Giolito, and Aaron Nola among those expected to hit the market following the current campaign.

With Severino back in action, Brito will head to Triple-A with a 5.58 ERA and 5.56 FIP in 40 1/3 innings of work so far in 2023. Brito mostly struggled in his time with the major league club, striking out just 16.9% of batters while walking 10.1%. The walk rate is of particular concern, given Brito’s ability to avoid the free pass in the minor leagues, with a 7.7% rate in 112 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A last year standing as his highest mark in a season coming into 2023. Even in spite of his struggles, Brito figures to continue to provide depth to the Yankees rotation when necessary throughout the season.

Yankees Plan To Activate Luis Severino On Sunday

By Steve Adams | May 18, 2023 at 11:57am CDT

The Yankees are planning to activate right-hander Luis Severino from the injured list on Sunday, manager Aaron Boone said last night (Twitter link via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). He’ll make his season debut against the Reds after spending the first quarter of the year on the shelf with a lat strain. The news on injured reliever Ian Hamilton is a bit more ominous, as Boone revealed that the right-hander is back in New York to undergo an MRI after being placed on the 15-day IL due to a groin strain.

Severino, 29, will provide a sizable boost to a Yankees rotation that has also been without Carlos Rodon all season and recently lost Domingo German to a 10-game suspension after he was ejected from his most recent start on the heels of a foreign substance check from the umpiring crew. The Yankees have turned to former top prospect Clarke Schmidt and right-hander Jhony Brito in the rotation for much of the season, but neither has pitched well.

Despite the sub-par showings from Brito (5.20 ERA) and Schmidt (6.30), Yankees starters still rank 14th in the Majors with a collective 4.30 ERA. Gerrit Cole’s sensational start to the year skews that number, however. He and German are the only Yankees starters with an ERA under 5.00 at the moment, making Severino’s return of particular importance.

Severino, of course, has proven capable of pitching at an ace-caliber level when healthy. Dating back to the 2017 season, he boasts a 3.10 ERA with a 28.8% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate. The “when healthy” caveat carries plenty of weight with regard to Severino, however, as that impressive ERA and K-BB% profile has come in a sample of just 504 2/3 innings — including just 120 frames since the conclusion of the 2018 season. Severino pitched just 12 innings in 2019 due to shoulder and lat injuries, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in February of 2020. His 2021 comeback efforts were largely derailed by a Grade 2 groin strain and some recurring tightness in his shoulder. He pitched just six innings that year.

The 2022 season was Severino’s healthiest since he topped 190 innings in both the 2017-18 seasons, but he still managed only 19 starts and 102 innings of work due to a strain of the same right latissimus dorsi that has plagued him in 2023. The Yankees’ obvious hope is that the issue can be firmly put in the rearview mirror now, but only time will tell. Severino has made a pair of minor league rehab starts, lasting 3 1/3 innings apiece and holding opponents to three runs on eight hits and a pair of walks with six punchouts.

A healthy return will be of great importance not just from a team perspective but also through a personal lens. The Yankees exercised a $15MM option on Severino back in November, and he’s slated to become a free agent for the first time this coming offseason. The hope of pitching a full slate of 30-plus starts is already out the window, but if Severino can avoid the injured list from this point forth, he’ll still be viewed as one of the top arms in the class — obvious health risks notwithstanding.

For the time being, Severino will slot into the rotation along with Cole, Schmidt, Brito and a struggling Nestor Cortes (5.53 ERA in 42 1/3 innings). The team hasn’t gone on record to provide a firm timetable on Rodon, though Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported earlier in the week that a six-week timetable is viewed as a best-case scenario. That seems to generally align with the Yankees’ latest updates on the lefty, as Boone noted to Hoch and others that he’s recently thrown from 90 feet without incident. Rodon will still likely need multiple bullpen sessions, some live batting practice sessions and multiple minor league rehab starts before he’s a realistic option, so a return late next month indeed seems plausible if he can avoid further setbacks.

AL East Notes: Cleavinger, Guerrero, Severino

By Mark Polishuk | May 7, 2023 at 6:32pm CDT

Rays reliever Garrett Cleavinger suffered a knee injury during the 10th inning of today’s 7-6 victory over the Yankees. Manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times) that Cleavinger’s knee “grabbed on him” during a critical rundown play that eventually saw Aaron Hicks thrown out at home plate while trying to score the go-ahead run. More will be known once Cleavinger undergoes testing, but Cash indicated that the left-hander will likely be placed on the 15-day injured list.

Like most hurlers on the league-leading Rays, Cleavinger is having a nice season, with a 3.00 ERA over 15 appearances and 12 innings pitched. A 13% walk rate and a .160 BABIP are red flags, but Cleavinger is missing a lot of bats (30.4% strikeout rate) and is doing an excellent job of inducing soft contact. Tampa has Colin Poche, Jalen Beeks, and Josh Fleming already in the bullpen as other left-handed options, though Fleming has recently been enlisted into bulk pitcher duty. If the Rays aren’t concerned about keeping the lefty/righty balance in their pen, they can turn to any number of arms in the farm system, and hopefully Cleavinger won’t be sidelined for too long.

Yankees Notes: Rodón, Severino, Bader

By Darragh McDonald | April 11, 2023 at 5:45pm CDT

Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón has yet to make his debut with the club, having spent the early parts of the season on the injured list due to a forearm strain. It was reported last week that he was set to progress towards throwing live batting practice but manager Aaron Boone says Rodón was recently delayed by some back tightness, per Talkin’ Yanks. That has set his progress back by at least a few days.

Rodón is capable of being one of the best pitchers on the planet when healthy, as evidenced by his 2.88 ERA and 33.4% strikeout rate last year over 178 innings. However, he’s had difficult staying healthy for extended stretches. In his eight major league seasons, last year was only the second time he reached the 140-inning plateau. Nonetheless, the Yanks took a shot on him by signing him to a six-year, $162MM deal.

That put Rodón into a high-upside but volatile rotation that has seen three of its members start the season on the injured list, as right-handers Luis Severino and Frankie Montas are also on the shelf. That’s led to Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes being joined by depth options like Domingo Germán, Clarke Schmidt and Jhony Brito. Despite those issues, the club is still holding its own with a 6-4 record thus far, but they’ll surely be better off once Rodón is healthy and can jump back in. The Yanks would undoubtedly love to have him back as soon as possible but will likely avoid rushing him at this time of year, prioritizing his long-term health with many months still remaining on the schedule. Boone tells Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News that Rodón will throw another bullpen tomorrow and characterized an April return as “a little aggressive.”

Speaking of Severino, he is also trying to work his way back from the injured list, as mentioned. Severino suffered a lat strain towards the end of March, just as the season was set to kick off. He threw a bullpen session yesterday, per Erik Boland of Newsday, and came out of it feeling good. He says he hasn’t felt his injury in over a week, which is an encouraging sign. Much like Rodon, Severino’s career has been a mix of excellent results and injury absences. He topped 190 innings in both 2017 and 2018, though tossed only 18 total frames over 2019-2021 and 102 last year. But when healthy enough to take the mound, he’s posted a 3.39 career ERA, 27.2% strikeout rate, 6.9% walk rate and 45.9% ground ball rate. His return timeline will undoubtedly come into focus as he continues ramping up in the near future.

Boone also provided Talkin’ Yanks with an update on Harrison Bader, as relayed by Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The outfielder has been dealing with an oblique strain for about a month and has yet to debut this season. Boone says he progressed to full hitting machine batting practice and could start a rehab assignment next week. Injuries have been an ongoing issue for Bader in his time as a Yankee, as he was already on the IL with plantar fasciitis when they traded for him last year. He eventually returned and played 14 regular season games, along with nine more in the playoffs.

Bader has been around league average at the plate in his career, as his .245/.317/.405 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 97. However, his defense is very well rated, already accruing 48 Defensive Runs Saved, 59 Outs Above Average and has a grade of 42.1 from Ultimate Zone Rating. All three of those figures place him in the top 10 among all outfielders in the league from 2017 to the present.

In Bader’s absence, most of the playing time has gone to Aaron Judge, with a couple of starts along going to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, while the corner outfield duties have been split between Giancarlo Stanton, Franchy Cordero, Oswaldo Cabrera and Aaron Hicks. Once Bader comes back, he figures to push Judge back into a corner, potentially putting a dent in the playing time of that group.

Injury Notes: Haniger, Taylor, Severino, Rodon, Moore, Trammell

By Anthony Franco | April 7, 2023 at 8:47pm CDT

The Giants have been without offseason signee Mitch Haniger thus far. The veteran outfielder opened the season on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain. He tells Evan Webeck of the San Jose Mercury News his recovery timeline was slightly delayed by recent back tightness, which shut him down for around a week (Twitter link). Haniger is back to hitting off a tee now but still a bit off from potentially beginning a minor league rehab assignment.

With Haniger out of action, the Giants have pushed Rule 5 draftee Blake Sabol into left field alongside Mike Yastrzemski and Michael Conforto. Sabol and Roberto Pérez are the only catchers on the active roster. Pérez left this afternoon’s loss to Kansas City with a right shoulder strain (as relayed by Maria Guardado of MLB.com), which could necessitate a roster move if he’s unavailable in the coming days.

In other injury situations around the game:

The Brewers lost Tyrone Taylor to a sprained right elbow at the start of Spring Training. Milwaukee announced at the time that Taylor would be sidelined into May. Manager Craig Counsell informed reporters today the outfielder recently had a minor setback and is midway through a week-long shutdown before he resumes a throwing program (via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). It’s unclear to what extent Taylor’s recovery timetable is delayed but it doesn’t seem a significant concern. Milwaukee turned to Brian Anderson in right field with Taylor sidelined. After the Brew Crew lost third baseman Luis Urías to an Opening Day hamstring strain, they moved Anderson to the hot corner and brought up top prospect Joey Wiemer to man right field.
Yankees skipper Aaron Boone provided reporters (including Chris Kirschner of the Athletic) an update on a pair of rehabbing pitchers this afternoon. Luis Severino, who has been sidelined by a lat strain, will throw a bullpen session this weekend. Offseason free agent pickup Carlos Rodón will throw a live batting practice session on Monday. Rodón was diagnosed with a mild forearm strain during Spring Training, though the Yankees downplayed any long-term concern.
The Mariners provided updates on a pair of injured position players this afternoon (relayed by Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). Utilityman Dylan Moore and outfielder Taylor Trammell are both going to start participating in extended spring training games at the start of next week. Manager Scott Servais indicated that Moore could potentially return during the club’s April 14-23 homestand. Trammell is further behind, as he fractured the hamate bone in his right wrist in mid-February. That robbed him of any Spring Training reps; Moore also didn’t appear in any exhibition games but he’d done some backfield work before straining his oblique in mid-March.

Boone: Yankees Working On “Potential Deal” To Add Pitcher

By Steve Adams | March 30, 2023 at 10:13am CDT

The Yankees are working on a “potential” deal to add a pitcher to the staff, manager Aaron Boone told reporters prior to today’s season opener (Twitter link, with video, via SNY). Boone didn’t futher tip his hand as to whether the Yankees are talking to a free agent or discussing a possible trade. However, they’re opening the season with 14 position players and 12 pitchers on their roster, reflective of both a potentially incoming arm and an off-day on the schedule Friday.

“We’re going with just seven guys in the ’pen, obviously with an off-day tomorrow, where we have a potential deal going that’ll probably change that moving forward in the next day or two,” said Boone. “…A pitcher could be in play for us, that we add or not. Whether or not we do, we’d be in a position to pull from the minor leagues, too.”

New York’s pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries, evidenced by the sheer number of players who are beginning the season on the injured list. The Yankees announced today that lefty Carlos Rodon (forearm strain) and righties Luis Severino (lat strain), Lou Trivino (elbow strain), Tommy Kahnle (biceps tendinitis) and Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery) have all been placed on the 15-day injured list. Right-handers Scott Effross (2022 Tommy John surgery) and Luis Gil (2022 Tommy John surgery) both were placed on the 60-day IL. Center fielder Harrison Bader (oblique strain) and catcher Ben Rortvedt (shoulder aneurysm surgery) are both on the 10-day IL.

Also of note from Boone’s media session today, the skipper indicated that not only will Oswaldo Cabrera get the Opening Day start in left field — but he’ll open the season as the team’s primary left fielder (Twitter link via Joel Sherman of the New York Post). Aaron Hicks will still get some time against left-handed pitching, and Cabrera’s versatility means he’ll occasionally line up at other spots, but it seems the current plan is for him to be the most frequently used option in left field.

The 24-year-old Cabrera made his big league debut in 2022, slashing .247/.312/.429 in 171 plate appearances. Originally expected to be in more of a versatile infield/outfield utility role, the switch-hitting Cabrera seized a more prominent role with a monster spring showing. In 57 plate appearances, he batted .340/.386/.623 with four homers, three doubles, four walks (7%) and 10 strikeouts (17.5%).

The Yankees also confirmed some previously known/reported moves. Top prospect Anthony Volpe’s contract has been formally selected, and he’ll open the season as the Yankees’ primary shortstop. Right-hander Jhony Brito was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is expected to start the team’s third game of the season on Sunday. And, as was widely reported yesterday, the Yankees signed outfielder/first baseman Franchy Cordero to a Major League contract and formally added him to their Opening Day roster.

Injury Notes: Nevin, Severino, Houser, Suarez, Suzuki

By Mark Polishuk | March 26, 2023 at 12:18pm CDT

As expected, the Tigers will place Tyler Nevin on the 10-day injured list to begin the season. Nevin suffered a Grade 1 oblique strain a little less than three weeks ago, making it doubtful that the 25-year-old would be fully recovered in time for Opening Day. However, it is possible Nevin won’t miss much time, as Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) that Nevin is on pace to start a rehab assignment this week.

Even a brief IL stint isn’t an ideal way for Nevin to begin his tenure with his new team, as he was only acquired by the Tigers in a swap with the Orioles back in December. Nevin’s ability to play both corner infield and outfield positions makes him an interesting commodity on Detroit’s roster, as this versatility and Nevin’s right-handed bat made him a natural platoon partner or complement to such left-handed batters as Austin Meadows, Akil Baddoo, Nick Maton, or Kerry Carpenter.

More on other injury situations around baseball…

Luis Severino is another player headed for a season-opening IL stint, as the Yankees right-hander has suffered a lat strain. This particular injury is a concern given that Severino missed over two months of the 2022 season with another lat strain, but the pitcher told reporters (including Greg Joyce of the New York Post) that this strain in lower in his back than last year’s problem and doesn’t seem as serious. Severino suggested that he could miss “three or four starts,” but a more specific timeline isn’t known, since “I’m going to be a little bit cautious, but I think the Yankees are going to be more cautious than me.” Last summer, Severino expressed both surprise and public displeasure with the Yankees’ decision to shift him from the 15-day to the 60-day IL, as he expecting a quicker return to action.
Brewers right-hander Adrian Houser left his spring outing yesterday due to groin tightness, and the club will further examine his status today. The same injury bothered Houser both earlier in Spring Training and at the end of last season, resulting in an IL stint. Considering the recurring nature of the groin problem and the close proximity to Opening Day, it certainly seems possible the Milwaukee could start Houser on the IL once more. As the odd man out of a deep Brewers rotation, Houser had been tabbed for a relief role to begin the season, with the understanding that he is also the team’s unofficial sixth starter in the event of an injury.
Ranger Suarez played catch on Friday and Saturday, telling Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that his left arm still had some tightness but no pain. In general, Suarez felt “nothing too bad” and his forearm was doing “better.” Despite this fairly positive update, it still seems unlikely that Suarez will be able to avoid an IL trip given how the Phillies will probably be cautious with a case of elbow inflammation. The left-hander was projected to be either the third or fourth starter in Philadelphia’s rotation this season, but with his likely absence for part of April, Bailey Falter will step into that vacancy in the starting five. Matt Strahm or Michael Plassmeyer could take the fifth starter job, as top prospect Andrew Painter, Cristopher Sanchez, and Nick Nelson are also battling injuries.
The Cubs haven’t yet decided how they’ll replace Seiya Suzuki on their season-opening roster, as Suzuki will need a 10-day IL stint after missing the last month of Spring Training due to an oblique strain. Suzuki is making such steady development in his rehab work that even though he’ll miss some time during the regular season, it may not be all that much time. “Whether you are trying to put somebody on the [40-man] roster that’s not on it or trying to fill a gap for 10 days is a big deal,” Cubs manager David Ross told Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters. “And it’s a big decision. We have so much talent and a lot of depth here. We would like to keep as much as we possibly can because of the long journey we’re about to start.”

Luis Severino Suffers Lat Strain, Likely Headed To Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | March 25, 2023 at 9:25am CDT

Yankees right-hander Luis Severino is probably headed to the 15-day injured list due to what manager Aaron Boone described to reporters (including Joel Sherman of the New York Post) as a lower-grade lat strain. Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media reported earlier today that Severino had been scratched from his planned start today, which was to be Severino’s last outing of Spring Training.

Severino becomes the third member of New York’s projected Opening Day rotation who will instead begin the season on the IL. Carlos Rodon was sidelined with a mild forearm strain but has at least been back throwing, while Frankie Montas’ season is in jeopardy after undergoing shoulder surgery. Those absences have resulted in Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt being elevated to rotation jobs, and the Yankees will now have to dip into their depth once more to replace Severino. Deivi Garcia, Jhony Brito, Matt Krook, and Randy Vasquez are all on the 40-man roster and slated for rotation duty at Triple-A, but Garcia is the only member of that group with Major League experience.

While the Yankees have two off-days in their first nine days of the regular season, they will need a fifth starter to make one turn through the rotation. In the best-case scenario, Severino would perhaps only miss one start or two starts, given how Boone left a bit of wiggle room about the IL placement and the severity of the injury. That said, Severino also missed over two months last season with a similar lat strain on his right side, so there is no guarantee that this new injury could be a short-term issue.

It makes for yet another injury setback for Severino, who pitched only 18 total regular-season innings total during the 2019-21 seasons. A more severe lat strain (as well as a rotator cuff problem) contributed to that layoff in 2019, and then Tommy John surgery wiped out almost all of his next two seasons. Even with his 2022 season also shortened by an IL stint, Severino still managed to toss 102 innings and re-establish himself as a quality starter, posting a 3.18 ERA, 27.7% strikeout rate, and 7.4% walk rate in his limited action.

The Yankees were encouraged enough by this performance to exercise their $15MM club option on Severino’s services for the 2023 season, which seemed like a pretty easy call last November. As a result, the original four-year, $40MM extension that Severino signed in February 2019 became a five-year, $55MM pact. That deal was a departure for a Yankees organization that usually doesn’t sign players to extensions, and given how Severino has tossed only 120 regular-season innings since signing the deal, the investment simply hasn’t worked out to date. Naturally, if Severino can get back onto the field relatively quickly, he still has plenty of time in the 2023 season to deliver some more return to the Yankees, as well as set himself up for another deal when he enters the free agent market this winter.

If the Yankees wanted to add rotation depth beyond their internal choices, the pickings are pretty slim on the free agent market at the moment. However, some more names could become available as teams make their final roster cuts towards the end of Spring Training. A pitcher facing an opt-out decision on his minor league contract, for example, might now view New York as a viable option if their current team isn’t planning on including them on the Opening Day roster.

Pitching Notes: Bello, Bautista, Severino, McCullers

By Simon Hampton | February 18, 2023 at 9:36am CDT

With pitchers and catchers having now reported to their respective spring training sites, there’s a fair bit of news around the health of a number of pitchers around the sport.

Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello will take the weekend off throwing, and hopes to be able to throw again Monday, per Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal. Bello apparently felt tightness in his forearm this week. Any time tightness and forearm are mentioned in the same sentence regarding a young pitcher there’s a fair bit of concern, but Bello says he believes it’s due to throwing a higher number of breaking balls of late.

In any case, he’ll be shutdown temporarily and the Red Sox and Bello will be hoping he’s good to go next week. Bello figures to compete for a spot in the Red Sox’ starting rotation this year. The 23-year-old made 11 solid starts (and two relief appearances) last season, working to a 4.71 ERA with a 20.5% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate.

Here’s a few other injury tidbits from around the sport:

Orioles closer Felix Bautista told reporters, including Jake Rill of MLB.com, that he expects to be ready for opening day. Bautista has spent the winter rehabbing left knee and right shoulder injuries, and has thrown four bullpen sessions since January. He’s believes he’ll be ready to get into spring matches around March 15, and will need four or five spring innings to get up to speed. Bautista was dominant for the Orioles during his rookie year last season, pitching to a 2.19 ERA across 65 2/3 innings, striking out batters at a quality 34.8% clip.
Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. has been shut down temporarily following him experiencing some soreness in his throwing arm (via Mark Berman of Fox 26). There’s always a bit of concern there particularly given McCullers’ injury history, but manager Dusty Baker gave reporters a promising outlook “he’s just getting treatment. He’s feeling pretty good. He’s feeling better.” McCullers is into his eighth season with the Astros. A forearm strain suffered in 2021 limited him to just eight starts in 2022, but he still worked to an impressive 2.27 ERA in those handful of appearances.
Yankees starter Luis Severino is entering his walk year, so naturally hoping for a strong, and healthy, campaign. After missing the bulk of three-straight seasons, Severino returned to make 19 starts last year, working to a 3.18 ERA. A lat strain sidelined him for two months of the season, but the Yankees were unsurprisingly happy to exercise the $15MM club option they held over the 28-year-old ahead of the 2023 season. While the significant injury history won’t help, a full season of ~30 starts of his typically excellent output could set Severino up for a big payday next winter. “Health is always the question with him. I feel like he’s done everything he needs to this offseason. He’s been around Tampa. He’s been at the complex. He’s getting his work in. Physically, he looks like he’s in a good spot. I think everything we’ve wanted out of him this offseason, he’s answered the bell. He’s ready to go this year. We feel good about the way he’s reported,” pitching coach Matt Blake told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The Yankees are depending even more so on a healthy season from Severino after the news that Frankie Montas will miss the majority of the year as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

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