Not a ton has changed since the New York Mets (49-46) conquered the New York Yankees (58-40) in a pair of games at Citi Field in late-June. Both teams remain on similar trajectories, with the former trying to regain momentum and the latter desperate to maintain it ahead of the MLB trade deadline. The atmosphere in the Bronx should be bonkers when the two rivals collide again next week.
But just like the first two-game series, Luis Severino will be denied the chance to face his former team. Despite his recent inconsistencies, the veteran starting pitcher has played a key role in the Mets' midseason turnaround. He is 6-3 with a 3.78 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 109.2 innings of work, rewarding president of baseball operations David Stearns for the faith he showed in him last December.
Consequently, Severino is mighty proud to be wearing the Orange and Blue on a daily basis, something he likely deemed unfathomable during the early years of his career. The right-hander is disappointed about his turn in the rotation not coming against the Yankees, but he has already found ways to enact some playful revenge on his past employer.
When his old teammates accuse him of being afraid of the Yanks (in their group chat), Luis Severino goes into full savage mode.
“‘I'm not afraid of you guys,”‘ he recounted to the media, via SNY. ‘”Right now, you only have two good hitters.”‘ It has not taken the two-time All-Star long to embrace his new environment or the Subway Series rivalry that comes with it.
Luis Severino is bouncing back in a big way with the Mets
The man affectionately referred to as Sevy entered The Show with much hype surrounding him, and he quickly started living up to it. The Dominican Republic native posted a 2.83 ERA in his first 11 starts with the Yankees, marking an auspicious beginning to what ended up being an erratic eight-year tenure with one of sports' most iconic franchises.
Following a rough 2016 campaign, Severino finished in the top 10 for American League Cy Young voting in consecutive seasons. Injuries and October shortcomings overshadowed his production, however, as he eventually became one of the most frequent sources of anxiety for fans.
The uneasiness of not knowing when he would return or how he would fare after coming off the injured list made it clear that this once promising union would probably not reach a decade. But not many people expected Luis Severino to wind up in Queens, and a success story at that.
Barring a catastrophic second half to 2024, which is certainly possible, he is set to earn a nice payday in free agency. A one-year, $13 million investment is proving highly beneficial for him and the Mets. Although the Yankees' rotation has waned considerably over the last month-plus, they are still presumably satisfied with the depth the unit boasts. Everyone involved needed a fresh start.
Sevy shared some good memories with the Yankees, though. Now, he is having fun at their expense, and is doing so by pointing out a genuine concern fans have about the club.
Are the Yankees too star-dependent?
Excluding the productive season Giancarlo Stanton was putting together before landing on the IL, and the power surge of young Ben Rice, New York's offense has been carried by its superstar duo. The advantage of having Aaron Judge and Juan Soto hit next to each other in the lineup has been evident when it comes to their numbers, but there is little carry-over effect to the rest of the batting order.
Once pitchers either suffer the wrath, avoid or survive the Yankees' two-headed monster, their job becomes quite manageable. Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo, two of the culprits in the team's shocking loss to the Baltimore Orioles right before the All-Star break, have precipitously declined over the last month and a half. They must step up if this group is going to attain the necessary balance to win a World Series.
Otherwise, the Yankees will continue to provide Severino with Grade-A roasting material. The Mets cannot afford to get comfortable, however. Failure to build off their unforeseen and wacky run could result in Stearns trading the pitcher at the July 30 trade deadline.
Taking care of business against the Miami Marlins out of the break could help rule out that scenario. Meanwhile, the Yankees look to get more of their bats going versus the visiting Tampa Bay Rays.
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