Luis Severino and Dellin Betances Both Cleared to Begin Throwing Program Monday
By Adam Weinrib
Could better news be around the corner for Luis Severino than what Brian Cashman tempered Yankee fans' expectations with before the weekend began?
The latest we'd heard was a "six-week-plus" recovery time, which would put Severino on the mound roughly sometime in September. However, the Yankees are known for being notoriously incorrect with their timelines, so fans assumed this meant he would return sometime around Christmas, long past the season's expiration.
Luis Severino will be re-examined on Saturday in hopes of resuming his throwing program, Brian Cashman told @MLBNetworkRadio.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 12, 2019
Cashman said he expects Severino will need “six or more” weeks to be ready. However, he could be a 75-pitch starter or even used out of the bullpen.
Well, maybe it was accurate? Or even...pessimistic? Severino and his fellow fallen 'pen ace Dellin Betances will both begin a throwing program on Monday, something the Yankees assured us Severino would not do until his 90% healed oblique had hit the full 100% mark.
Luis Severino and Dellin Betances both cleared to begin throwing programs Monday.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) July 14, 2019
The team could use both men full strength, but a watered-down Severino on a serious pitch limit doesn't do them as much good as a fully-ready Betances to take the pressure off Adam Ottavino and Zack Britton; regardless of Sevy's potential return, they still need an ace.
At the very least, Yankee fans should choose to take this news as a rare blip of pitching-related encouragement, rather than stress about it, as they so often do.