HOUSTON — Aaron Boone can unearth a sliver of good in almost anything.
So it wasn’t surprising for the Yankees’ manager to put a positive spin on the disheartening news that staff ace Luis Severino isn’t allowed to throw a baseball for six weeks after Tuesday’s MRI exam in New York revealed a Grade 2 strain of the latissimus muscle on the right side of his body.
Severino opened the season on the injured list due to an inflamed right rotator cuff and when he was sent for tests there was a chance the shoulder had worsened. So, Boone saw the good in that the reason Severino hadn’t graduated from throwing on flat ground to a mound wasn’t shoulder related.
“I don’t know if relief is the right word, but a little bit of ‘OK, now we know what it is,’ ” Boone said following a putrid 6-3 loss to the Astros on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park. “It’s not a surgery thing. Obviously it is going to take more time now but a little comfort in knowing this is what it is. It appears to be treatable and it is going to take some time. Hopefully we will get a healthy and strong, fresh [Severino] back for a good portion of the season.’’
That’s the best-case scenario, but after six weeks of not throwing, Severino will require what amounts to a full spring training, which lasts six weeks for the benefit of pitchers. If everything goes well, Severino will resume throwing May 21. Six weeks after that is July 2.
Considering the severity of the latissimus problem and the always tricky rotator cuff mixed in with the Yankees’ history of being conservative with injuries, Severino being ready to pitch in a big-league game in early July might be pushing it.
According to the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society media guide, a Grade 2 strain is defined as moderate and is an injury in which the tissue has been partially, but not totally, torn. At times, the recovery time can be two to three months.
According to the Yankees, the lat problem is separate and independent from the inflamed rotator cuff that surfaced in spring training.
Because Severino wasn’t in the rotation currently, his latest injury doesn’t necessarily create a need for a starter. CC Sabathia is due off the injured list this weekend and is slated to start against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium. He will take Jonathan Loaisiga’s rotation spot. Loaisiga was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after lasting three innings in Tuesday night’s start.
As for outside rotation help, Dallas Keuchel remains a free agent, but the Yankees traded for James Paxton and brought back J.A. Happ when he was a free agent instead of showing serious interest in Keuchel. Gio Gonzalez is at Triple-A on a minor league deal with an April 20 opt-out clause. He pitched six shutout innings against Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, striking out 10 and allowing three hits.
Boone, before knowing the extent of the latest injury, said he believes there is enough rotation insurance in case the Yankees don’t get Severino back for a while.
“We have already seen quality pitchers step up and young pitchers take more steps for us,’’ Boone said, referring to Domingo German. “I feel we are equipped to handle a lot of things. Obviously, [Severino] is a great pitcher and hopefully we are going to get him back.’’
Getting Sabathia back from the IL this weekend and Masahiro Tanaka pitching like an ace has helped, but even though Severino’s rotator cuff doesn’t require surgery, Tuesday’s news was a major blow.
One area Boone was clear about was the Yankees will be very careful with their 25-year-old ace.
“We are going to do everything we can to not put him at risk,” he said.