Yankees' Luis Severino set to return from injury Sunday against Reds
Reinforcements are coming for the Yankees in the form of Luis Severino.
Severino, who has missed the start of the 2023 season with a lat injury, is slated to return to the Yankees rotation Sunday, per Aaron Boone.
The Yankees are getting back a key piece to the rotation. Last season, in 19 starts, the 29-year-old went 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 102 IP. Severino was supposed to be slotted as the team’s No. 4 starter behind Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes, but Rodon has yet to pitch in pinstripes due to a back injury.
The Severino return comes less than a day after Domingo German was ejected for failing a foreign substance check in Tuesday's win against the Blue Jays. A 10-game suspension will also be placed on German, meaning he’ll miss his next two starts.
With German’s suspension, the Yankees cannot replace him on the roster, so when Severino is activated Sunday a member of the bullpen will likely be demoted until German can return.
The Yankees are facing the Cincinnati Reds that weekend, who Severino has limited experience against. In two career appearances against Cincinnati -- both starts -- Severino is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts. His last start came on July 13, 2022 where he went just two innings while giving up four earned runs on three homers.
Severino made two rehab starts in the minors. In his first start, with Triple-A, Severino went 3.1 innings, giving up just two hits, one run and one walk while striking out three.
He made his second start Tuesday for Double-A Somerset. In that outing, Severino pitched 3.1 innings (58 pitches, 39 strikes) while giving up six hits, two runs, one walk and struck out three.
