Yankees shellacking Luis Severino was perfect revenge after he dodged them in 2024

The New York Yankees took two out of three from the Athletics over the weekend, with the rubber match featuring a complete beatdown of Luis Severino. The former Yankee surrendered eight earned runs on nine hits and two walks in just four innings of work. How's that for "only two good hitters"?

The Yankees ended up winning 12-2 in what was a moment fans were desperately waiting for. Severino, who left the Yankees after his final, disastrous 2023 season, actively dodged them in 2024 when he was a member of the Mets. Not only that, but he took jabs at them through the media, all of a sudden turning into a chatter box after giving stone-faced, boring interviews for his last five years in the Bronx.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza purposely moved the rotation around to avoid having Severino pitch against his former team at Yankee Stadium. We'll admit, it was the absolute correct move because the right-hander almost assuredly would've melted down based on his resume in high-pressure moments. But it didn't change how Yankees fans felt. (We will also admit, the Yankees couldn't hit left-handers last year, so Medoza strategized to have them face four of them in their four-game season series.)

Sevy leaving for the Mets and then having a productive campaign (and solid postseason) after posting the worst stats of any full-time starter as a member of the Yankees in 2023 was absolutely infuriating.

Then, the fact he left the Mets for a team playing their games in a minor league stadium for the next couple of seasons further drove Yankees fans up a wall. Sunday's shelling was a long time coming, and it helped a little bit in regard to getting some closure.

Yankees dominate Luis Severino to secure series win over Athletics

Revenge game! How did that go, Sacramento fans? Pour one out for all the mothers who "did Mothers Day correctly" and watched the game.

Severino was once projected to be a cornerstone player for the Yankees, but then injuries took hold. After injuries took hold, everything else spiraled. His attentiveness, preparedness, ability to execute, relationship with the front offcie, you name it. It was an absolute mess, and once again, the Yankees were at fault for letting it all further get out of control. They could have gotten out of Severino's contract in 2023 by rejecting his $15 million team option, but they exercised it because they simply needed to prove they could get one more year out of somebody who hadn't given them a full, productive season since 2018.

Truth be told, Yankees fans are glad Severino has moved on and found better environments for himself. Though he got rocked by the Yankees on Sunday, he was having a good year up until that point. And for as painful as it was, it was still nice to see him stay healthy in 2024 and make 30 starts for the first time since 2018.

But for all the former Yankees who give New York grief, it was good to get a convincing win over one who had a complicated relationship with the organization for his last seven years with the team. The 2025 Yankees didn't need those headlines, and now they can move on without another annoying storyline following them through the season.