Luis Severino's $15M Contract Option Exercised by Yankees for 2023 Season

The New York Yankees exercised their $15 million team option on starting pitcher Luis Severino on Monday, keeping him in the Bronx for the 2023 season.

General manager Brian Cashman announced the Yankees would pick up the option while speaking to reporters Friday.

Severino, who is entering his age-29 season, went 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA (1.00 WHIP) and 112 strikeouts in 102 innings in 2022.

He landed on the injured list July 14 with a low-grade right lat strain but returned to the team Sept. 21 and made three starts down the stretch. His best start came Oct. 3 with seven no-hit innings against the Texas Rangers.

The right-hander also made two starts in the postseason. He allowed three runs each in starts against the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series and Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series.

Severino was one of the American League's top aces in 2017 and 2018, finishing third and ninth in the AL Cy Young voting, respectively.

Unfortunately, injuries have kept him off the field for large chunks of time since then.

In 2019 spring training, Severino suffered rotator cuff inflammation. He then missed five months during the 2019 season after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 lat strain.

He did not take part in the 2020 season after Tommy John surgery. Severino sat out the beginning of the 2021 campaign as he continued his recovery, but then a Grade 2 groin strain pushed his comeback to September 2021.

The two-time All-Star returned to the rotation on a full-time basis in 2022 after a four-year absence.

Severino, Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes are all expected to be back with the Yankees in 2023. The Bronx Bombers won the AL East with a 99-63 record, but the Astros swept them in the ALCS.