While reports of New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino being shut down undoubtedly surprised many, the injury he’s dealing with has been present since the final game he pitched in the ALCS against the Houston Astros in 2019.
So, not only did Severino get injured against Houston, but they also cheated against him as well…go figure. However, skipper Aaron Boone stated that his forearm soreness was considered a minor ailment, despite the potential for something more serious. CT scans and MRIs have shown negative results, indicating that it could just be a “loose body” floating around in his elbow, therefore creating discomfort.
The Bombers may have Severino undergo surgery to remove anything holding him back from being his usual self. That would result in two players having surgery before spring training games even commence — not exactly the start Yankee fans imagined when they dropped $324 million on Gerrit Cole.
With Severino possibly missing time, it could be time for one youngster to make the jump to the majors, and he even started his spring with a strikeout against Giancarlo Stanton and Clint Frazier on Thursday.
Deivi Garcia is the player to be enamored by, as he dropped a nasty changeup on the first pitch against Frazier, check it out below:
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That’s big-league level stuff, and Garcia made a case for himself on Thursday that he’s ready to make the jump if need be. While Severino’s absence may give Michael King the first shot at making the roster, Garcia doesn’t seem far behind with his mid-90s fastball and dangerous curve. If he can harness his accuracy and maintain his speed, he could be looking at a major-league debut in 2020.
Is Deivi Garcia ready to join the New York Yankees?
From the looks of Deivi’s 2019 numbers, he’s not ready to make his MLB debut. Having gone from single-A to AAA-ball in three months, his adaptation to each division was quick and smooth. However, he struggled with high-A Tampa. Having posted a 5.40 ERA with 24 earned runs, eight homers, over 40 innings, the indication here is that he might need more time in the minors.
It’s impressive to strike out two major-league hitters back-to-back, but live-game situations are much tenser.