Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Will Pick Up Luis Severino's Club Option For 2023 Season

Severino posted a 3.18 ERA over 19 starts in 2022.

Max Goodman

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NEW YORK — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman intends to pick up Luis Severino's $15 million club option for the 2023 season.

Severino, 28, signed a four-year extension worth $40 million before the 2019 season, a contract that included a club option in 2023. 

"I haven't talked to anybody yet about it, but he's a really impactful pitcher," Cashman said on Friday during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. "So the answer to that would be an easy yes."

Once the ace of New York's staff, Severino has battled a slew of significant injuries since putting pen to paper on this current contract. The right-hander pitched in just seven games from 2019 to 2021, missing the entire 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. His 2019 campaign didn't begin until September once he was ready to return from right shoulder rotator cuff inflammation and a Grade 2 lat strain.

This year, his first full season in the rotation since Tommy John surgery, Severino pitched to the tune of a 3.18 ERA over 19 starts (102 innings), striking out 112 batters with a 7-3 record in that span. Severino pitched once in each of New York's postseason series before they were eliminated this month. He allowed three earned runs over 5.2 innings pitched in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Guardians, permitting three more runs to score over 5.1 frames in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Astros. The Yankees, unable to provide any run support, lost both of those games.

Even with his injury history—Severino also missed a few months this year with a low-grade lat strain—it's no surprise to see the Yankees bring Severino back, a right-hander that showed flashes of the dominant pitcher that blossomed in this club's rotation (and earned Cy Young Award votes) back in 2017 and 2018. The right-hander projects to fill a spot midway through New York's starting staff, behind Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes. 

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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