The New York Yankees received some unfortunate news on the pitching front just a few days ahead of the 2023 season opening day.
With close to three days to the much anticipated 2023 MLB season opening day, the New York Yankees’ projected pitching rotation is in shambles. As if losing Frankie Montas to a shoulder injury was not enough misery, Carlos Rodon decided to add to it. The most hyped-up addition of this off-season strained his throwing arm just a few days after his awful spring debut wearing the pinstripes.
With this, the Yankees have only three healthy starters in the mix, Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, and Nestor Cortes, who fortunately recovered from a hamstring injury just in time for the season opener. However, the happiness remained short-lived as another pitcher fell prey to this injury bug. Moreover, the injury will be a big blow to the Yanks’ opening day plans.
Luis Severino Out With Lat Strain, To Begin Season On Injury List
Luis Severino works out at Yankees spring training Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
New York Yankees right-hander Luis Severino has suffered a lat strain and will likely begin the 2023 season on the injured list (IL). Severino was likely to feature in the starting rotation behind Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes as a third starter. However, all efforts this spring went to dust as Luis suffered an unfortunate injury. Further, skipper Aaron Boone explained the entire orderly and said after Tuesday’s start, Luis felt tightness in his arm which persisted. Hence, he underwent scans and was later diagnosed with a lat strain.
Meanwhile, Luis Severino clearly looked gutted and said he thought he would avoid injuries this season and finally contribute to the team to the full of his ability. However, the pitcher is happy he’s faced this at the start and not towards the end of the season, which would have been more unfortunate. Hence, he is ready to miss a few starts if it results in a deep postseason run. The severity of the injury is not yet clear, but lat strains can be difficult to recover from and often require an extended period of rest and rehabilitation.
Clarke Schmidt Likely To Replace Luis As A Starter In Yankees Rotation
Meanwhile, the persistent injuries have come as a blessing in disguise for the bullpen arm, Clarke Schmidt. He was likely to grace the bench this season as his peer, Domingo German, remained the front-runner to claim the fifth starter’s position. However, with Luis Severino and Carlos Rodon on the IL, Clarke could get a spot as a starter on the rotation.
As per MLB insider Bryan Hoch, Schmidt is likely to play as a starter in the Yanks’ rotation for the second game of the season. While nothing seems confirmed, the odds look quite high for now. Overall, the New York Yankees find themselves in deep trouble after the latest injury. Further, they would have to look for a resolution as quickly as possible since the opening game of the season is just a few days away.