Tag: luis severino

Mets’ Luis Severino rebounds in second start thanks to fastball

CINCINNATI — Perhaps a game the Mets want to forget will be memorable for Luis Severino.

The high-octane, high-upside and high-risk righty bounced back from a poor Mets debut — after a disastrous 2023 with the Yankees — in a solid second start of the season.

Severino allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks in five innings in which he punched out seven, typically on four-seamers that he repeatedly turned to as he challenged Reds batters.

Luis Severino allowed two runs in five innings in the Mets’ 9-6 loss to the Reds. Getty Images

Severino retired nine straight Reds from the second through the fifth and did not allow mistakes made behind him to swell in what became a 9-6 loss at Great American Ball Park.

“He was more aggressive, fastball had life and he was a lot better,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Severino, who had allowed six runs in five innings in a debut loss to the Brewers. “They ran his pitch count up. Gave us five innings, gave us an opportunity to win the game.”

Cincinnati only scored against Severino in the second inning, when first Severino’s defense then his control let him down.

Jeimer Candelario hit what would have been a deep fly out to left, but Tyrone Taylor slipped on the warning track, turning it into a double.

With one out and Candelario on third, Elly De La Cruz smacked a grounder to second, and Jeff McNeil tried to charge the ball and throw home — but the ball skipped past him, a run scoring on a slip and a slip-up.

Luis Severino Albert Cesare/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK

Severino then couldn’t find the strike zone, eventually issuing a bases-loaded walk to Jonathan India.

But he met with catcher Omar Narvaez on the mound before facing Will Benson with the bases loaded.

“Let’s use that pitch,” Severino told Narvaez of his four-seamer.

Benson swung at four fastballs and missed three times for an inning-ending strikeout.

That served as a turning point for Severino, kept turning to heat that maxed out at 98.4 mph.

The Reds couldn’t catch up, which was an early sign of progress from a pitcher who contains a higher ceiling than any other Mets starter.

Perhaps he found a way to become the Severino who was so dominant years ago in pinstripes.

“I think last [start] it was not that true fastball, it was not hopping at the end,” Severino said.

A somewhat-forgotten Mets pitcher is getting closer to becoming an option.

Max Kranick was on the outskirts of the competition for fifth starter once Kodai Senga went down, only to be sidelined himself by a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in late February that knocked him out for the rest of camp.

Max Kranick throws a pitch during a Mets’ spring training game. Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Kranick, a 26-year-old who was claimed from the Pirates this offseason, has been facing hitters in live batting practices in Port St. Lucie and is close to beginning a rehab assignment, likely this week.

“He’s progressing well,” Mendoza said.

Kranick made 11 starts with Pittsburgh in 2021-22 before he needed Tommy John surgery in June 2022, forcing him to miss much of last season, too.

The Mets saw something in the righty, who made one Grapefruit League start (throwing two scoreless innings) before his hamstring became a problem.

The Mets, who just signed Julio Teheran to be their fifth starter because not just Senga but Tylor Megill have gone down, will welcome any depth options they can find.

Brandon Nimmo, who sat Friday with a tight hamstring, returned to the lineup but as designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with a walk. Mendoza said Nimmo could play the outfield if needed, though it was not needed.

Sean Reid-Foley, who was placed on the 15-day injured list just before the season started with a right shoulder impingement, received a shot “a few days ago,” Mendoza said, and had been shut down for three days.

“He should be ramping up here pretty soon,” Mendoza said of the righty reliever.

Francisco Alvarez, who started in one end of Thursday’s doubleheader, caught the final few innings of the other and played Friday, was out of the starting lineup Saturday.

The Mets are in a stretch of 15 games in 14 days and do not want to overwork Alvarez.

Omar Narvaez got the start and had a strong offensive game.

Mendoza said Alvarez will play Sunday afternoon in a better matchup for the righty slugger against lefty Andrew Abbott.

J.D. Martinez was expected to serve as DH for a second straight day with Low-A St. Lucie.

Mendoza said Martinez “came out fine” following his 0-for-4-with-a-walk day Friday.

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Mike Francesa slams Yankees as ‘losers’ after ALCS excuse

Like most of us, Mike Francesa saves his spiciest takes for Twitter.

The broadcasting legend slammed the Yankees after their 3-2 ALCS Game 2 loss to the Astros, after which starting pitcher Luis Severino said Houston “got lucky.”

“Yanks sound like losers after the game. Shut up about exit velo. Try hitting the ball,” Francesa tweeted on Thursday night.

Francesa was referring to Severino citing the exit velocity of Alex Bregman’s home run and Aaron Judge’s long fly ball that was snagged at the right-field fence by Kyle Tucker.

“[Bregman] hit it 91 mph,’’ Severino told reporters of Bregman’s three-run, third-inning blast into the Crawford Boxes in left field. “That’s the only thing I’m gonna say. And Judge hit it 106 [mph] and it didn’t go out. They got lucky.”

Francesa did not appreciate Severino’s dismissive tone as the Yankees are now in a 2-0 hole against their hated rivals.

Luis Severino walks off the mound during Game 2 of the ALCS against the Astros.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Judge’s eighth-inning shot to right, nearly a game-flipping, two-run homer, fell just short of the fence and into the glove of Kyle Tucker.

On his BetRivers podcast that the longtime WFAN staple recorded after the show, he took a more measured tone. Francesa still lamented the Yankees’ lack of hitting and correctly noted that the Yankees would have gotten shut out if not for starting pitcher Framber Valdez’s two-base error in the fourth inning. Still, Francesa liked the Yankees’ chances in Game 3 on Saturday in The Bronx with ace Gerrit Cole on the mound.

“The Yankees didn’t put two guys on base in any inning,” Francesa said. “Very hard to win hat way unless you’re going to hit a bunch of solo home runs. They did not and they struck out 13 times. That’s 30 times in two games. You have to put the ball in play, get some base hits, they don’t get any hits. Maybe the home cooking will be a difference-maker.”

Mike Francesa in 2018 at a DraftKings event.
Robert Sabo

Francesa did have two positive takeaways; the decision to move Harrison Bader to leadoff and the defensive wizardry of shortstop Oswald Peraza after the touted prospect made his first start of the postseason there on Thursday night.



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Yankees’ Jose Trevino exits after taking foul ball to knee

MILWAUKEE — Catcher Jose Trevino left the Yankees’ 7-6 loss to the Brewers in the seventh inning Friday night with a right knee contusion after he took a foul ball off his right knee in the bottom of the fifth.

Trevino initially remained in the game and caught the sixth before Kyle Higashioka came up to pinch hit for him leading off the top of the seventh.

“He was compromised,’’ manager Aaron Boone said of Trevino.

Marwin Gonzalez also was removed to start the bottom of the sixth with dizziness, Boone said.

Gonzalez started the game at first base and when he came out, Oswaldo Cabrera moved from right field to first, making his first appearance at the position in his professional career.

“That’s a tough spot, but he’s got that makeup that he’s gonna handle himself,’’ Boone said. “Not ideal, but that’s where we are right now from an injury standpoint.”

Jose Trevino
AP

Harrison Bader could make his Yankees debut soon, manager Aaron Boone said, adding the center fielder could be in The Bronx as Tuesday after rehabbing from the plantar fasciitis that has sidelined him since before he was acquired from St. Louis in exchange for Jordan Montgomery.

Boone made it clear prior to the game what Bader’s role will be: “Center fielder.”

“He’s a premium, maybe the best, defensive outfielder in the league,’’ Boone said. “I think we’re adding a significant player to our lineup.”

Bader was off Friday and scheduled to play minor league rehab games Saturday and Sunday. If he and the Yankees decide he’s ready, the Bronxville native will be with the Yankees when they open their homestand against the Pirates.

The right-handed hitting Bader has had a rough season at the plate, with a .673 OPS in 264 plate appearances for the Cardinals, but he has swung the bat well during his rehab assignment.

He was acquired, though, for his defense and speed.

Harrison Bader
N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

Bader will give the Yankees some much-needed outfield depth, as Aaron Judge has been forced into playing center, with the slumping Aaron Hicks in left and Cabrera in right.

Boone didn’t rule out the possibility of moving Cabrera to left when Bader is in the lineup in center, with Judge back in right.

Giancarlo Stanton is not an option in the outfield and won’t be for the foreseeable future, as he returns from the injury suffered when he fouled a ball off his foot.

Boone said Stanton’s return to the outfield was “on pause,” but didn’t rule it out down the road, pointing to the fact he stayed healthy last year while playing some outfield.

Luis Severino is scheduled to rejoin the rotation on Wednesday after another solid rehab outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Boone said the right-hander, sidelined since mid-July with a strained lat, isn’t completely built up, but he expects Severino to have an immediate impact.

“It’s Luis Severino,’’ Boone said. “He’s Severino. He’s having an excellent year for us and can match up with a lot of really good pitchers.”

Anthony Rizzo took batting practice against rehabbing Scott Effross and continues to feel good in his return from lower back tightness and headaches following an epidural.

Boone said there’s a “chance” Rizzo will be in the lineup Sunday against the Brewers and he believes the time off will have served the first baseman well.

“What’s exciting is that he was grinding with the back even before he went on the IL,’’ Boone said. “That’s he’s feeling good is encouraging. It allows him to impact us.”

Oswald Peraza entered Friday having not played in a week, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa performing well, though he made a big error in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ loss. Boone said Peraza might be at shortstop on Saturday.

Jasson Dominguez was among the Yankees prospects selected to play in the Arizona Fall League following the season.

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Jose Trevino walks off Yankees again in 13-inning win over Cubs

A night after the Yankees’ offense bailed out an ineffective Gerrit Cole, they had to work overtime Friday night to make sure Luis Severino’s latest gem didn’t go to waste. 

Jose Trevino, the last man left on the bench, finally delivered the big hit that was missing all night, coming through with an RBI single in the 13th inning to give the Yankees a 2-1 win over the Cubs in The Bronx. 

Pinch-hitting for Kyle Higashioka, Trevino roped a line drive over the head of shortstop Nico Hoerner, driving home Joey Gallo from third base and setting off a celebration. 

Before Trevino’s game-winning hit, the Yankees (42-16) had been 0-for-18 with runners in scoring position and had left 15 men on base. On the flip side, Severino and the Yankees’ bullpen had shut down the Cubs (23-34), holding Chicago to 0-for-18 with runners in scoring position and stranding 13 runners. 

Jose Trevino connects on a walk-off hit in the 13th inning.
Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Jose Trevino celebrates after his walk-off hit.
Robert Sabo for the NY POST

Clarke Schmidt (two innings), Wandy Peralta and Ron Marinaccio combined to keep the Cubs scoreless through four extra innings, not allowing a hit and stranding four runners. 

In the 11th, Schmidt induced a pop up and then helped himself out, snagging a line drive off the bat of Rafael Ortega and firing to second base for the double play. 

Schmidt had gotten a more conventional double play to end the 10th. After intentionally walking Ian Happ with one out, the Yankees reliever got Frank Schwindel to ground into a 5-4-3 twin killing to end the inning. 

The Cubs, meanwhile, intentionally walked Aaron Judge to lead off the 10th inning, Gleyber Torres to lead off the 11th and Judge again with one out in the 12th, but the Yankees couldn’t muster a rally in any of those situation. 

The Yankees celebrates after their 13-inning win over the Cubs.
Robert Sabo for the NY POST

The Yankees were coming off a 10-7 win at Minnesota on Thursday, in which Cole dug them a 7-3 deficit by the time he exited the game in the third inning. 

But the bats were quieter on Friday night. After Torres put the Yankees up 1-0 with a solo homer in the fourth inning, they did not record another hit until Josh Donaldson’s infield single in the eighth inning. 

Severino delivered another strong start, giving up just one run over six innings. He struck out 10 for a second straight outing, lowering his ERA to 2.80 and getting the Yankees’ rotation back on track after a rough series against the Twins. 

Severino was sharp early, striking out five of the first six batters he faced before he got some help from his defense in the third inning. 

Luis Severino pitches Friday during the Yankees’ win over the Cubs.
Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Luis Severino reacts during the Yankees’ win over the Cubs.
Robert Sabo for the NY POST

With a runner on third, one out and the Yankees’ infield playing in, Christopher Morel hit a chopper to the left side. Torres fielded it and fired home to throw Jason Heyward out at the plate. 

Then, with runners on first and second, Judge — starting his sixth straight game in center field — made a diving grab in the left-center field gap to rob Happ and keep the Cubs off the scoreboard. 

Wade Miley shut the Yankees out for three innings, leaving the bases loaded in the third, before exiting the game with left-shoulder soreness. 

Gleyber Torres connects on a solo homer.
Robert Sabo for the NY POST

Daniel Norris entered in the fourth and, on the first pitch he threw, Torres greeted him with a home run, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. 

Heyward tied the score in the fifth inning when he cracked his first home run of the year, a solo shot off Severino. 

Nick Madrigal and Morel followed by pouncing on first pitches for back-to-back singles with no outs. But Severino buckled down, striking out Willson Contreras (swinging) and Happ (looking) before getting Schwindel to ground out to end the threat. 

Severino walked Patrick Wisdom to lead off the sixth, but then got a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play to help expedite his final inning of work. 

The Yankees had the makings of a rally in the eighth inning when Giancarlo Stanton walked and Donaldson singled with one out. But former Yankees reliever David Robertson escaped the jam by striking out Torres and Aaron Hicks.

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