As Mets’ Luis Severino Threatens an All-Star Return, Will the Yankees Regret Letting Him Go?

The enigma of Luis Severino continues to confuse the baseball world. One moment he’s as brilliant as it comes, then another he’s struggling hard. The New York Yankees lived through this journey until 2023. The team didn’t extend Severino’s deal, and he ended up signing with their neighbors the New York Mets. While there weren’t any regrets or hard feelings at first, the recent display by Severino has shown that he still has “something in the tank.” 

Sevy’s struggled ever since his All-Star years in 2017 and 2018. The unlucky injuries plus a loss of pace. Things haven’t looked up for the hyper-speed merchant for a long time. But his recent display in the Mets uniform has strongly indicated that vindication could be near for the pitcher.

Luis Severino shows off his talent despite a losing display by the Mets 

The Mets lost 3-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. While that isn’t good news, what’s important is that there were flashes of brilliance throughout the game. Especially from Luis Severino, who was returning after a disappointing 2023. That season saw him struggle with injuries and then lose much control of the ball. So when he pitched two hitless, scoreless innings and had one strikeout – it was an encouraging sign.

“The way he was using all his pitches, I was pretty pleased,” said the manager Carlos Mendoza according to the New York Post. Severino’s time on the mound displayed the hard work he had put in to improve his pitching. His speed topped out at 98 MPH and he showed newfound control over his pitches. 

Severino has worked extensively on his sinker this offseason and an improvement was visible. The pitcher also threw a sinker, fastball, slider, change-up, and then a cutter that reached 98mph. This display showed that Severino was returning to his scary best that first made him the talk of the town in 2017-18. 

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“I had something in the tank because I was waiting for the perfect time to do it,” Severino said of his performance. It could’ve made some heads turn in the Bronx Squad.

Are the New York Yankees filled with regrets?

Severino’s exit from the Yankees seemed like a mutual decision. Both the team and Severino understood that their progress had stalled, and he needed a new place, a new environment. While the Yankees have added Marcus Stroman to their lineup, one could argue that having Severino as a safety net could’ve been better. But then, the Bombers have started their Spring Training quite spectacularly themselves. 

So as it stands, the Mets could be satisfied even after a loss. With Kodai Senga’s injury hovering over them like a dark cloud, seeing Severino step up must be a great sight. But it’s just the beginning of Spring Training. It’s a long way to go before one can say with certainty that Severino’s enigma has finally disappeared.

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