Luis Severino's 23-Pitch Nightmare Is a Bad Omen For the Athletics' Season

Alright, you guys, another weekend, another dose of early season baseball drama, and this one's a gut punch for the Athletics. Right-hander Luis Severino, who recently started his Friday night game, is now officially on the 15-day injured list. Yep, you read that right. The dude left his start against the New York Yankees after throwing a measly 23 pitches, and now we know why: a right shoulder strain. This is exactly the kind of news no team wants to hear, especially not this early in the year.

The Shocking Exit and Lingering Pain

Talk about a rough night. Severino was out there at Sutter Health Park on Friday, trying to get ready for the second inning, and something clearly wasn't right. He simply walked to the back of the mound, looked toward the dugout, and catcher Shea Langeliers knew it. He signaled to the dugout right away. After a quick chat with a trainer and manager Mark Kotsay, Severino was done for the night, leaving the Athletics scrambling in what ended up being an 8-2 loss. Post-game, the 32-year-old opened up, saying he'd actually been feeling tightness in that shoulder since way back on May 21, when he faced the Los Angeles Angels. You gotta wonder how long he was battling that on the mound.

Severino's Season So Far and the Replacement

This injury hits Severino at a pretty crucial point. Through 12 starts this season, he’s posted a 4.16 ERA, a 1.468 WHIP, and racked up 65 strikeouts, all while holding a 2-6 record. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster, especially when you look at his splits. The former All-Star has actually been more effective on the road, where he's got a solid 3.38 ERA. Last season, those home/away numbers were even crazier, with a 6.01 home ERA contrasted sharply with a 3.02 away ERA. To fill his spot, the Athletics recalled 33-year-old veteran right-hander Michael Kelly from Triple-A Las Vegas. Kelly’s no stranger to the big leagues, having appeared in 92 career games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022, the Cleveland Guardians in 2023, and the Athletics. He was a pretty effective bullpen option for them last season, recording a 3.18 ERA in 42 appearances. Hopefully, he can bring some stability.

Another Injury Update: Max Muncy's Road Back

And speaking of injuries, there's another name making moves toward recovery. The Athletics also sent third baseman Max Muncy, who's been dealing with a hand injury, on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Las Vegas. Muncy got hit by a pitch way back on April 13 in a game against the Texas Rangers. He tried to tough it out and played through the injury initially, but a nondisplaced fracture was discovered almost two weeks later. Good to see him on the road back, but man, the injury bug is hitting this team hard early on.

With Severino out and Muncy still working his way back, the Athletics have their hands full trying to navigate the early part of the season. Every arm matters, every bat matters, and losing key guys like this always makes things tougher. Let's see how they adjust.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.