DETROIT — Luis Severino will be coming off his best start since 2019 when he takes the mound Wednesday against the Tigers at Comerica Park. He pitched five scoreless innings against Toronto in his previous outing.
He admitted there were times, during his comeback from Tommy John surgery and other injuries, that he wasn’t sure he’d ever get back to that level.
“A bunch of times,’’ Severino said Tuesday. “Every time I didn’t feel good the next day after I pitched. I thought I couldn’t be a starter anymore and my arm couldn’t handle that much work.”
He has had no issues since spring training.
“Right now, I’m happy,’’ Severino said. “My arm is responding really well to adding more pitches every time.”
Severino said he has made some adjustments to his routine to preserve his arm, such as not playing catch after the day he starts.
Luis Severino Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post“I’m not 21 or 22 anymore,” Severino said. “I have to save my bullets.”
The Yankees have been aiming to take advantage of Aaron Hicks’ solid start at the plate and they did Tuesday night. Hicks hitting leadoff for a third straight game, went 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs and an RBI in a 4-2 victory over the Tigers.
The center fielder said he has been trying to use the whole field more — rather than worrying about his power — and has been hitting the ball the other way with more success. To his point, Hicks’ average exit velocity is down a bit, but he’s been getting on base, which Aaron Boone said he liked.
“I worked on it in winter ball [in the Dominican Republic], and I wanted to get off to a good start after being out so long last season,’’ Hicks said of missing much of 2021 following season-ending surgery to repair a torn sheath in his wrist.
“He gives you that switch-hitting element,’’ Boone said. “I like the way he’s moving and he’s running well.”
Boone said he’d still consider “a number of candidates” to hit leadoff, but Hicks has fit in well there.
Other MLB teams have been without players when they’ve visited Toronto this year due to Canada’s protocols for unvaccinated people crossing the border, and Boone was asked if he expected “all the players he’d want to have” available to him when they visit the Blue Jays on May 2. He replied, “Yes.”
When a follow-up question was asked about the possibility of the team being fully vaccinated, Boone said, “I think we’re in a good spot. That’s my understanding.”
During spring training, general manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees still had multiple unvaccinated players.
“I don’t know the timeline of everything,’’ Boone said. “My understanding is we’re gonna be OK.”
Gleyber Torres didn’t play, something Boone said was a product of the team’s normal infield rotation and not of Torres’ recent 0-for-13 streak at the plate.
Boone said he “anticipated” Torres would be back at second base on Wednesday.
Without Torres, DJ LeMahieu was at second base, Josh Donaldson at third and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop.
Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera has 2,996 career hits after a second-inning single. Boone and Cabrera were teammates in 2007 with the Marlins.
“He’s as great a hitter as I’ve ever played with,’’ Boone said. “He’s on the very short list of greatest right-handed hitters, probably of all time and certainly of this generation.”
