Severino expects to face hitters after next bullpen session
The long road back for New York Yankees ace Luis Severino seems to finally be nearing its end.
Severino reported no physical issues following Monday's bullpen session and said he'll require one more before he can begin to face hitters, according to Meredith Marakovits of YES Network.
His next bullpen session is scheduled for Thursday, and he could face live batters Sunday, according to Mike Mazzeo of Yahoo Sports.
The 25-year-old flamethrower has missed the entire 2019 season to date after suffering a shoulder injury during spring training. It seemed as though the Yankees were close to getting Severino back in late June, but he suffered a setback and was shelved once again.
It's unclear whether Severino will stretch out in time to become a starter or be used as a reliever for the remainder of the season.
Severino has been one of the best young starters in the game since breaking into the majors as a 21-year-old, posting a 3.51 ERA over 85 career starts. Last year, the right-hander authored a 19-8 record with a 3.39 ERA, finishing with a single down-ballot AL Cy Young vote.
The Yankees' starting staff ranks ninth in the American League in WAR, according to FanGraphs, while its 4.72 ERA is good for sixth.
Meanwhile, the club's relief corps has been predictably elite, boasting the fourth-lowest ERA, third-lowest FIP, and best WAR in the AL.