Severino Jokes with Yankees: 'You Only Have 2 Good Hitters

 Severino Jokes with Yankees: 'You Only Have 2 Good Hitters

Luis Severino, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Yankees and earned two All-Star selections, now pitches for the Mets. In his first season with the Mets, Severino was poised for a dramatic showdown against his former team in the Subway Series, but circumstances prevented this anticipated matchup from happening.

Severino didn't pitch during the Mets' home sweep of the Yankees on June 25-26, as he had just pitched six shutout innings against the Cubs on June 23. The Mets and Yankees were set to face each other again on July 23-24, offering another chance for Severino to pitch against his old team. However, Severino pitched six scoreless innings against the Marlins on July 20, eliminating the possibility of him facing the Yankees in this series.

Despite not getting his chance to face the Yankees, Severino didn't shy away from some playful banter. In an interview with SNY TV, he mentioned that he and his former Yankees teammates have been exchanging some friendly trash talk. “We have a group chat of guys. … They talk [trash] about me, they say, 'Oh, you’re afraid of us,'” Severino said. He added, “I’m not afraid. Right now, you only have two good hitters. I can walk those two guys. It’s always friendly competition with players I’ve already played with. It’s going to be fun, and hopefully in the future I can face them.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone responded to Severino's comments with confidence, highlighting the Yankees' offensive strength. “We’ll see where the dust settles when we’re all said and done. Add it all up, we’ve taken our lumps at times, but I think we’re at the top of the league in runs scored,” Boone said, noting the Yankees' MLB-best 4.98 runs per game. “I saw the way Sevy said it, and it was kind of whatever -- hopefully we can answer him.

While the rivalry between the Mets and Yankees is always intense, this season's Subway Series missed the added excitement of Severino pitching against his former team. However, the friendly banter and competitive spirit between Severino and his old teammates added an interesting subplot to the series. Fans can only hope that in future matchups, Severino will get his