Yankees running out of options to deal with Luis Severino’s free-fall
MIAMI — The Yankees appear headed back to the drawing board to figure out what to do with Luis Severino.
After their latest attempt at solving the right-hander’s issues went awry, when Severino still struggled behind an opener on Wednesday in a loss to the White Sox, manager Aaron Boone offered a familiar refrain.
“We gotta continue to discuss all options as well as working alongside him and trying to get him right,” Boone said before the Yankees left Chicago. “You still see the glimpses of it in there, but we gotta keep exploring things.”
There is no easy solution, even if the Yankees were to cut bait on Severino and designate him for assignment a few months before he enters free agency.
Randy Vasquez would have been an option to replace Severino in the rotation, except the Yankees need him to fill in for the injured Carlos Rodon.
Vasquez is expected to be called up to pitch Friday against the Marlins in the opener of a three-game series.
The recently demoted Jhony Brito is not eligible to be called back up until Aug. 22 — the same day Rodon can be activated off the injured list — unless he is replacing a pitcher that goes on the IL.
Severino and the Yankees have insisted he is healthy, so that doesn’t seem to be an option.
Domingo German, meanwhile, is out for the season as he receives treatment for alcohol abuse.
With Nestor Cortes, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt set to follow Vasquez, the Yankees still need someone to start Tuesday at Atlanta — unless they are able to afford using a bullpen game.
The only other healthy starter on the 40-man roster is Yoendrys Gomez, the 23-year-old right-hander currently pitching for Double-A Somerset.
The Yankees could move Severino to the bullpen, which might be the most feasible option, though it would likely force them to designate Albert Abreu for assignment.
They cannot send Severino to the minors, however, unless he agrees to it.
Severino, with an 8.06 ERA, has said he is willing to do anything to get better, but it remains to be seen whether that includes something as drastic as going to the minors.
“I know the real Sevy, and he’s usually a dominant pitcher,” catcher Kyle Higashioka said. “I wish I knew the answer. I just want, more than anything, for him to get back to being himself.”
Deivi Garcia is officially gone from the Yankees’ organization.
The White Sox claimed Garcia off waivers Thursday after the Yankees designated the former top prospect for assignment Monday.
Still just 24, the former starter-turned-reliever had a 5.67 ERA with 45 strikeouts and 32 walks in 46 innings this season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Yankees on Thursday optioned reliever Nick Ramirez to Triple-A, which should clear the way for them to call up Vasquez on Friday.
