7 Yankees facing uncertain futures heading into 2023 season

Luis Severino

The Yankees need Luis Severino and Luis Severino needs the Yankees. That's the reality for the 2023 season, even though the relationship between the two sides could be characterized as "bad." But both sides need to put the past in the rearview.

Severino's $15 million team option was picked up for the 2023 season, but he'll be a free agent come November. The Yankees knew the price was too good to turn down after his resurgent 2022 and they certainly weren't going to watch the four-year, $40 million extension they gave him prior to the 2019 season fully crash and burn ... but it's safe to say that this is the beginning of the end of the road for these two parties.

Between Severino not knowing the start time of a playoff game back in 2018 and him hiding injury concerns from the team ... and then Brian Cashman placing him on the 60-day IL last year without his consent and then not allowing him to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, you can see how this isn't going to be a long-term marriage.

But Severino's success is both key to his free agency value and the potential of the 2023 Yankees. He's definitely not going to be a Yankee beyond 2023, so his "uncertainty" hinges on his next destination and contract. Will he put forth a dominant showing right before free agency and get a long-term deal elsewhere? Or will he succumb to injuries/get in his own head and end up signing a one-year deal to rebuild his value of yesteryear?

Might be best for everybody to work together here, since everyone can win with the same positive results.