MIAMI — Luis Severino won’t be playing against the Yankees in the upcoming Subway Series, so he instead pitched hard against his former team on Friday.
The Mets right-hander, who didn’t even face the Yankees at Citi Field last month after manager Carlos Mendoza reshuffled the rotation to start two left-handers, said he is in a group chat where many of his former Bronx teammates are “swearing” about being afraid to face the Yankees.
Severino’s return?
“I’m not afraid of them. There’s only two good hitters out there right now,” Severino said of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. “It’s always friendly competition.”
With Jose Quintana and Sean Manaea scheduled to face the Yankees, the Mets will once again have two left-handed starting pitchers in the Subway Series.
Quintana was originally scheduled to start against the Marlins on Sunday, but due to illness, Christian Scott and David Peterson will pitch a day early on Sunday and Monday, respectively, Mendoza said.
That means Mendoza will replace the left-handed Peterson with the left-handed Quintana in the Subway Series.
“For some reason, the Yankees haven’t been very good against left-handed hitters this year,” Severino said. “You walk Judge and then you’re better. But I know Soto is a left-handed hitter, so I understand the logic of the left-handed hitter. [Alex] Verdugo is a left-handed hitter and Judge is the only right-handed pitcher who hits lefty batters, so that makes sense.”
Severino’s last appearance was on July 10 against the Nationals.
He said as soon as that start was over he began lobbying to start Friday, the Mets’ first game after the All-Star break, so he could return for the Subway Series five days later.
But that task was given to Manaea, who pitched five scoreless innings against the Yankees at Citi Field last month.
“For us, at least for me, we need to get better and hopefully we can face them in the World Series,” said Severino, who spent nine years with the Yankees before joining the Mets last winter on a one-year, $13 million contract.
Severino has been the Mets’ primary pitcher and leads the team with 109 2/3 innings pitched.
This season, he has started 18 games, recording 6 wins and 3 losses with an ERA of 3.78.
With the team set to open a four-game series against the Marlins, the right-hander reflected on how badly the Mets played the last time they visited LawnDepot Park back in May.
But the Mets finished the first half with a 27-13 record and were leading the National League’s third wild-card spot by half a game going into the game.
“We were a completely different team last time we were here,” Severino said. “We feel like we have a chance to make the playoffs, maybe soon.” [Kodai] It would mean a lot for us if Senga comes back and we’ll see what happens.”
Senga is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday in what will likely be his final minor league rehab start before returning from the disabled list.
Severino was asked what the Japanese right-hander means for the Mets.
“We’re going to trade for an ace. [to start] “The second half was great,” Severino said. “It’s great to have him at the top of the rotation. … I think it’s going to be a great game.”
