Why Yankees fans booed Luis Severino after latest subpar outing vs. Orioles

Dan Treacy

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Why Yankees fans booed Luis Severino after latest subpar outing vs. Orioles image

Luis Severino's season hit a new low on Thursday night, and Yankees fans let him know about it.

Severino was bludgeoned for 10 hits and seven earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings against the Orioles, extending a demoralizing stretch for the right-hander.

Severino had allowed six hits in the third inning alone, including three doubles, by the time Aaron Boone came out of the dugout to make the switch. Albert Abreu allowed three more runs in the inning, two of which were charged to Severino.

A fan base that jeered Aaron Hicks more than a month after he was designated for assignment wasn't going to let Severino off the hook. Boos rang out in the Bronx after Gunnar Henderson's third hit of the night, which proved to be the final straw.

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Yankee Stadium boos are fairly common, but Thursday night's reaction wasn't just based on one start. It's been a profoundly disappointing season for Severino, who looked like his old self after returning from the injured list in May but has unraveled since the start of June. 

Severino spoke to reporters after the game and insisted he feels "100 percent" healthy but admitted, "I'm not doing my job right now." 

Boone, asked about Severino's inconsistent season before the game, said he believed some life was starting to return to the right-hander's pitches, citing a scoreless start against the Rangers two weeks ago.

Any progress certainly seems to be erased after Severino's latest meltdown. 

Here's a closer look at his struggles, by the numbers.

Luis Severino stats

Severino's ERA is 7.38 through nine starts after Thursday night's implosion against the Orioles. He's allowed seven earned runs in each of his last two starts and has only two quality starts this season. Those are the only two outings in which Severino has lasted longer than five innings.

Remarkably, Severino carried a 1.59 ERA through his first two starts of the campaign after opening the year on the IL. Since the start of June, however, he has a 10.05 ERA across seven outings. 

As long as Severino is healthy, it might be tough for the Yankees to move Severino out of the rotation with Nestor Cortes Jr. still out due to injury. Carlos Rodon's impending return does give the team some added flexibility, with Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito representing the team's primary backup plans if Severino continues to struggle or is injured.

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Luis Severino contract

This rough stretch couldn't come at a worse time for Severino, as he's set to become a free agent after the season.

While Severino has a lengthy injury history, he could have positioned himself as one of the top free-agent pitchers alongside Blake Snell and Aaron Nola with a strong contract year. At this rate, Severino might be headed for a prove-it deal on the open market as the ugly performances continue to pile up.

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.