The offseason will be crucial for the New York Yankees.
After being humbled by the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series, they need to start working on a plan to catch up to them.
They have been outclassed in the playoffs by their hated foes in 2015, 2017, 2019, and now 2022.
That plan, whatever the details are, starts with an important offseason decision: bringing Luis Severino back.
“The Yankees have exercised their 2023 club option for RHP Luis Severino,” the Yankees announced via Twitter.
The Yankees have exercised their 2023 club option for RHP Luis Severino.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) November 7, 2022
Severino signed a four-year, $40 million contract before the 2019 campaign, which already expired in 2022, after the Yanks’ elimination.
That deal, however, had a club option for $15 million, which the Yankees just exercised in one of the top no-brainer moves of the offseason.
Severino was mostly injured from 2019-21, essentially losing three years of that deal with a series of injuries: from his lat to his shoulder, groin, and elbow.
A Statement Season By Severino
However, he returned with a bang in 2022.
This year, he pitched 102 innings and had a 3.18 ERA.
He also struck out 112 hitters, comfortably more than one per frame.
His 4.91 playoff ERA wasn’t that good, but his 2.66 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) indicates it should have been better.
Perhaps most importantly, Severino showed that he can still be a frontline starter in MLB and a weapon in the playoffs.
He will be penciled as the Yanks’ third starter for the 2023 campaign, following Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes.
That’s a really good foundation to start building a dominant staff.
The Yankees may have some serious offensive woes to attend this offseason, but the top of their rotation is definitely not an issue thanks, in large part, to Severino.
NEXT: The Yankees Have A Long List Of Notable Free Agents