Luis Severino may be headed back to the Bronx sooner than expected.
Severino, recovering from Tommy John Surgery and a groin strain he suffered in June, threw four perfect innings in a rehab start for Double-A Somerset on Sunday. He struck out 5 of the 12 batters he faced, requiring only 48 pitches.
Buoyed by four perfect innings from Severino, the Patriots’ pitching staff recorded a combined no-hitter, the first in Somerset’s history.
Severino last pitched in the big leagues in Game 3 of the 2019 ALCS after undergoing Tommy John Surgery last February. The Yankees had initially hoped that the two-time All-Star would return in July, but a low grade 2 groin strain pushed back his first rehab stint.
Severino admittedly struggled in an outing for Somerset on Tuesday, allowing a pair of runs across 2.1 innings. On Sunday, he returned to his All-Star caliber form.
“I saw total domination,” pitching coach Daniel Moskos said. “I saw a guy … who is not far away from being ready to pitch in Yankee Stadium.”
Before Sunday’s game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone conceded that Severino will make “at least” one more rehab appearance. When Severino does return to the Bronx Bombers, he will provide a needed boost to a rotation that has lost Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery to the COVID-19 injured list, and Domingo German to the 10-day injured list with shoulder inflammation.
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