Inside The Mets

Mets’ Hurler Roasts Yankees Lineup With Blunt Message

Luis Severino sent a scathing message about his ex-team's lineup on Friday.

Grant Young

Mar 8, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino (40) looks on against the Miami Marlins after the second inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino (40) looks on against the Miami Marlins after the second inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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Luis Severino has made it very clear that he wants to pitch against his former team.

Severino signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the New York Mets this past offseason after spending the first eight seasons of his MLB career across town with the Yankees. 

Last month, Severino said he was, “A little bit [disappointed],” that he didn’t get a chance to start against the Yankees during the 2024 Subway Series’ first leg on June 25 and 26. The 30-year-old could get another opportunity when the Mets go to Yankee Stadium next Tuesday and Wednesday, but a July 17 article from the New York Post’s Mika Puma said that “[Severino] hasn’t been completely eliminated from Subway Series consideration, but it appears far more likely the Mets will deploy two lefties.” 

With the Subway Series looming, Severino told SNY on Friday that he still keeps in touch with members of the Yankees’ organization via group chat; his former teammates have been teasing him about not getting his starting opportunity, even going so far as to say he’s “afraid of them”.

“They talk s—t about me… like 'you’re afraid of us',” he said.

Severino’s response?

“I’m not afraid. Right now, you only have two good hitters. I can walk those two guys."

Of course, Severino is referring to Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Aside from Judge (who has a staggering 1.114 OPS) and Soto (who holds a .988 OPS), Giancarlo Stanton is the only Yankees player with more than 200 at-bats and an OPS over .700. 

“I think for some reason the Yankees are not that good against lefties this year,” Severino added about the Mets electing to start lefties against their cross-town rival, per SNY's John Healy. “I mean, you only have to walk Judge and after that would be better, but I understand the logic because of the hitters.

"Soto is a lefty. [Alex] Verdugo is a lefty and Judge is the only big threat against lefties up there so I understand the logic."

Severino also noted that his group chat is mostly good-natured. 

“It’s always a friendly competition,” he said. “But hopefully in the future I can face them.”

The Mets are currently slated to start Sean Manaea on Tuesday and either Jose Quintana or David Peterson on Wednesday against their crosstown rivals.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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