Luis Severino seeks better outcome vs. former team as A's host Yankees

Luis Severino seeks a top-flight effort against his former club on Friday night when the Athletics host the New York Yankees at West Sacramento, Calif.

Severino was employed by the Yankees from 2015-23, and the right-hander has been treated rudely by his former teammates in three starts. He is 0-2 with a 10.66 ERA and has been torched for 17 runs (15 earned) and 18 hits in just 12 2/3 innings.

The best of those outings was in the Bronx on April 8 of this year, when he gave up two runs and four hits over five innings in a no-decision of a game the A's won 3-2. He struck out seven and tied a season high with five walks.

Both his 2025 starts against the Yankees were disasters. He gave up eight runs and nine hits over four-plus innings of a 12-2 loss on May 11 in Northern California and allowed seven runs (five earned) and five hits in 3 2/3 innings of a 12-5 loss in New York on June 29.

In the latter game, Severino allowed homers to Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm is 5-for-11 with two homers and Judge is 4-for-8 with the one blast against Severino.

Severino, 32, will be well-rested for this latest battle as his start was pushed back three days. He was slated to pitch Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners, but the Athletics called up prized prospect Gage Jump and then moved up Jeffrey Springs to Wednesday.

The Athletics were off Thursday after being swept in three games by the Mariners and falling out of first place in the American League West.

Severino (2-5, 4.23 ERA) will be looking to halt a four-game winless stretch when he takes the ball Friday.

Severino struck out a season-high 10 and didn't walk anyone against the Los Angeles Angels on May 21 but had to settle for a no-decision in the Athletics' 3-2, 10-inning win. He gave up two runs and three hits over seven innings.

Severino lost three straight outings before the stellar work against the Angels.

The Athletics took two of three in New York in April but aren't playing solid baseball entering the rematch. They have dropped five of their past six games and were outscored 22-4 while being swept by Seattle.

"We gave away too many free runs," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. "When you give away free runs and get behind a good team that has a good pitching staff, it makes it really difficult to win baseball games."

New York arrives with a four-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the host Royals in which the Yankees outscored Kansas City 26-4.

New York rolled to a 15-1 victory on Tuesday and followed up with a 7-0 win behind veteran Gerrit Cole in the right-hander's second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.

Cole struck out 10 and gave up four hits over 6 2/3 innings. Judge kept a run off the ledger by throwing out Kansas City's Michael Massey at the plate in the third inning.

"All I was thinking was, ‘Don't let this guy score,'" Judge told reporters. "Especially Gerrit coming back, second game, it's a tight game. I know if we stop them from scoring there, they're probably not going to score the rest of the game. Just trying to do my job."

Left-hander Carlos Rodon (0-2, 4.15) makes his fourth start for the Yankees after undergoing offseason elbow surgery.

Rodon, 33, lost to the Toronto Blue Jays on May 21 when he gave up one run and three hits over five innings.

Rodon is 5-1 with a 2.75 ERA in nine career starts against the A's. Shea Langeliers is 4-for-8 against Rodon, while Brent Rooker is 1-for-12 with five strikeouts.

--Field Level Media