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Yankees/ Red Sox I: Pitching, Power, And The Coming Pun-Pocalypse

By Cory Claus

Apr 27, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) smiles at first baseman Chris Carter (48) after a double play to end the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) smiles at first baseman Chris Carter (48) after a double play to end the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Yankees fans: It is time to get really, REALLY excited about Luis Severino

If we were to write the story of Luis Severino right now, it would be a very simple one. A dynamic pitcher with a 98-mph fastball lights up minor league batters and rushes to become a star in the Bronx. He sparkles in his debut year but suffers in his sophomore season. After an off-season of work and soul searching, said pitcher comes back and fulfills the promise.

And we all saw that on Wednesday night. His BLI was off the charts, and his stuff was untouchable. But it was not the final result that was so promising, although it was the most pleasing. Yankees 3 Red Sox 1 is ideal for this go-round, but it is Severino’s predictors of success that are so promising…and tantalizing. And they are all off the charts good.

Yes, he gave up exactly zero runs. That’s always promising. But he also gave up fewer hits than innings pitched (3/7). Severino struck out 6 and only walked two. He had an almost exact two-to-one strikes to ball ratio (66/37). And his WHIP was a ridiculous 0.71. He also hit another predictor that does not show up on many stat sheets but is one of David Cone’s favorites: maintaining fastball speed. Severino was still throwing 97-98 in the seventh inning at 100 pitches.

Yankees Might have a New Ace

But perhaps the best news is that this was not an aberration. It only added to what he has already been doing. For the year, his ERA is a flat 3, and his WHIP is 0.778. He has an 11/1 strikeout to walk ratio and only gives up one home run every nine innings. And, for the season, he has given up 17 hits in 27 innings pitched.

As a comparison, the three top finalists for the AL CY Young last year were Porcello, Kluber, and Verlander. Each of them finished with ERA’s above 3 and WHIP’s at or above 1. That’s how good Sevvy is right now. And these numbers give everyone in Yankees Universe hope that this is not just a trend but a season.

If Luis Severino is not an Ace, he sure is pitching like one.

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