Luis Severino's latest 'spat' with Yankees proves he should've been traded in offseason

The New York Yankees have been famous, especially in recent years, for inheriting massive headaches and then taking far too long to get rid of them. Some fans might not agree, but one of those has unfortunately been Luis Severino.

Regardless of how his campaign went in 2022, the reality is this: the right-hander has appeared in just 26 games since the start of 2019 and once again kicked off another season on the injured list. And he's made it a point to make each and every step of the way more and more difficult.

He called out the organization last year because he didn't like that he was being placed on the 60-day injured list. He withheld injury concerns from the Yankees years back, which eventually played a role in his absence from the beginning of 2019 until the end of 2021. He forgot the start time of a playoff game back in 2018. The paper trail is there.

Now, in the midst of his recovery from another lat injury, Severino is publicly disagreeing with the manner in which the Yankees are handling his rehab process. Something that should hardly crack the daily Yankees headlines has arrived at the forefront.

The erosion of this relationship isn't all Severino's fault. The organization has played a notable role. But Severino can't seem to help himself when it comes to ripping his employer, which is something the Yankees should've taken note of this offseason.

Luis Severino, Yankees at odds once again over rehab assignment

The final straw should've been Sevy's complaints from last season. This is the same guy who had his own issues with rehabbing in 2021, when he acted as if he tore his groin off the bone but only needed a 10-day layoff and then halted his comeback because his shoulder "didn't feel right" (nothing was wrong).

And now he's wondering why the Yankees are being extra cautious with his recovery process? New York had a chance to trade him in the offseason after picking up his $15 million team option, which would've helped the team clear payroll and get considerable value in return since he had just finished 2022 with a 3.18 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 1.00 WHIP and 112 strikeouts in 19 starts (102 innings). Most teams would've paid up for that production with the hope he'd be healthy for 2023.

Instead, it was the Yankees who gambled on Severino being a healthy, key piece in 2023 and they were let down yet again. Even those arguing in favor of his presence this season hardly have a leg to stand on because of how irrelevant he's been since the end of 2018. The Yankees need him? He hasn't been impactful in almost five years! That's why it's all the more baffling the Yankees didn't cash in when they had the chance, instead seemingly banking on something that hasn't happened since 2018 as Severino collected his largest AAV yet.

It's the same old story: the Yankees need to see out every trade or extension because they refuse to admit defeat until the bitter end. The only way this situation resolves itself is if Sevy returns to make ~25 co-ace-caliber starts, but you can forecast the likelihood of that happening, right?