The second half has not been kind to New York Yankees’ ace Luis Severino, that changed Saturday against the Blue Jays.
Luis Severino finally looked like Luis Severino.
Saturday came and went as a huge sigh of relief for many New York Yankee fans who have been worried about the condition of their 24-year-old ace. He gave the Yankees five-plus innings allowing just six hits, one run, walking two and striking out eight in the Yankees 11-6 win over Toronto.
Although it still was not the vintage Severino, it was something he and the Yankees needed to see. Coming into this start he had a 6.94 ERA in his last seven starts. This, after posting a 2.31 ERA prior to the MLB All-Star Game.
Perhaps it was the magic of the Yankees celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the 1998 Championship team with the likes of Joe Torre, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and many others in attendance.
??We are the champions?? pic.twitter.com/eNFV0EvB5R
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 18, 2018
Or maybe it was the offense building off of Friday night’s come from behind 7-5 win over the Blue Jays, starting with Didi Gregorius and a two-run home run to start things off.
A Didi Gregorius 2-run home run gives the Yankees the early lead. #YANKSonYES live stream: https://t.co/6fPABKjpqp pic.twitter.com/ED4AVyfM05
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 18, 2018
Either way, they gave Severino an early lead to work with and he never looked back giving the Yankees his best start since an Aug. 8 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The question now becomes can he translate it into his next start?
That Yankee lead would only continue to grow as the bats came alive. Giancarlo Stanton would smack career home run number 299 to the seats in left, his second home run in his many days and his eighth home run in the month of August. He now has 32 big flies on the season.
Giancarlo Stanton HOME RUN.
Exit Velo: 105.9
Distance: 412 feet pic.twitter.com/3W9h6MXyWU— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 18, 2018
Rookie third baseman Miguel Andujar would add another multi-extra-base hit game with a double and his 20th home run of the year. All of this while Gleyber Torres recorded two hits of his own in the middle game of a three-game series with Toronto.
Despite a sloppy sixth inning from the Bombers bullpen, they were still able to hold on for the win taking the series from the Blue Jays.
J.A. Happ will take the mound for the Yankees Sunday afternoon against his former team in the final game of the Yankees homestand.
