February 7, 2025

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Health's Like Heaven.

How Luis Severino is progressing, what to make of evolving Yankees rotation

Nine months post-Tommy John surgery, everything is going well for pitcher Luis Severino, the Yankees still are saying.

At long last, the right-hander is finally healthy after missing almost two full seasons due to arm issues and he’s been throwing since late September.

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This is encouraging for the Yankees, who have been and remain optimistic that they’ll get the two-time All-Star back by next June or July, which would be 14 or 15 months from his Feb. 27 surgery.

Here’s the latest on Severino from manager Aaron Boone, who provided an update on the latest edition of the YES Network’s Yankees Hot Stove:

“He had surgery in February, so typically with Tommy John you’re out 12 to 15 months, 12 to 16. We’ll certainly be conservative when we’re dealing with anyone, but especially a guy that’s as valuable and as important as Luis is to our team.

“It’s going according to plan. He’s throwing. He’s not on a mound yet, but I think that’s moving in the direction that it should and I’m looking forward to him playing a big part for us in this upcoming season.”

Once the Yankees get Severino, they’ll have one of the best No. 2 starters in baseball to line up being ace Gerrit Cole. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery figures to be the No. 4 or 5 starter again, but it’s too early into the offseason to project the other slots.

Right-hander Domingo German, an 18-game winner in 2019, probably will have a spot if ownership allows the Dominican to rejoin the team on the heels on an 81-game suspension for a domestic violence issue. He’s currently pitching (and excelling) in the Dominican Winter League.

Also, 21-year-old righty Deivi Garcia, a rookie last season, could have a spot and the Yanks may re-sign one of their three starters who is a free agent, possibly righty Masahiro Tanaka or lefty James Paxton but definitely not lefty J.A. Happ.

The Yankees are unlikely to make a push to sign right-hander Trevor Bauer, the top free agent starter.

Boone says that he feels good about the Yankees’ young starters who could play big roles next season in a 2021 rotation that still is evolving.

“Gerrit Cole’s a good place to start obviously,” Boone said. “Sevy is doing well in his recovery and we obviously look forward to him being back. Monty, we felt like he took a big step for us. And we saw so many guys — Deivi Garcia, Michael King, Nick Nelson — get really valuable experience (last season). Clark Schmidt got really valuable experience. Hopefully, that’s something that serves them well, but it also serves us well moving forward.

“Domingo German is a guy that is pitching in winter ball right now and doing well and hopefully he puts himself back in the mix. So we do feel really good about our depth and some of the experience that guys were able to gain this season.

“But it’s a long way before spring training, so you never know exactly what your roster is going to look like or how it’s finalized or if you add a piece here and there. But I do feel like we have a lot of talented people that hopefully will put us in a good position in 2021.”

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