Luis Severino and his lucky gloves

By César Augusto Márquez

Luis Severino, at the tender age of 23, is already a man set in his routines. The New York Yankees’ ace, after a breakout season that put him on par with the best pitchers in the major leagues, seems poised and confident heading into tonight’s start against the Minnesota Twins in the American League Wild Card Game.

But this is baseball, where one missed ritual may set off gloom and doom.

“I try to complete my routines; I’m very superstitious,” admits Severino, smiling easily, almost chuckling at his confession.

How superstitious is Severino?

At home, he pitches with a light brown glove. On the road, with a black one. So, for tonight at Yankee Stadium, he’ll go light brown.

When he wins, he will wear the same uniform for the next game. Which means he’ll be sporting the same duds from Sept. 27, when he pitched six innings, struck out nine and beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 6-1. Just don’t stand too close to him.

And before each start, he’ll relax in the clubhouse by putting on his headphones and listening to soothing music.

“I’m a quiet guy. I don’t need loud music at that very moment,” Severino said in the first of two interviews conducted in Spanish with La Vida Baseball over the last month.

Hall of Fame help

Routines are good for peace of mind. But Severino’s success this season is best explained by improved mechanics and location.

After losing his confidence in 2016 and being unceremoniously demoted to the minor leagues and later to the bullpen, Severino rebounded by consulting with fellow Dominican and Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez over the winter and learning to trust his changeup.

The Yankees’ pitchers, led by the “Cuban Missile” Aroldis Chapman, as a group throw harder than anyone else in Major League Baseball. In fact, according to Fangraphs.com, Severino’s fastball averaged 97.7 mph, tops in the majors this season among starters.

But the Yankees also keep opposing batters off-balance by throwing a greater number of breaking balls than most teams. In Severino’s case, he mixes in his slider and changeup with the fastball almost half the time.

And once he found his groove this season, the 6-foot-2 right-hander was virtually untouchable, earning his first All-Star selection and a 14-6 record. He finished third in the American League with a 2.98 ERA and fourth with 230 strikeouts in 193.1 innings.

Severino looked even better when measured by other metrics, allowing no more than one run in an MLB-best 16 starts. He also completed at least seven innings 14 times, fourth in the majors. If not for the Cleveland Indians’ Corey Kluber and the Boston Red Sox’s Chris Sale, Severino would have been a Cy Young favorite.

As it is, Severino will be facing countryman Ervin Santana, a wily, 13-year veteran, in the biggest game of his young career. The winner between the Yankees and the Twins will advance to play the Indians, the defending AL champions, in the best-of-five ALDS.

Living a dream

“For me, it’s a dream,” he said on Sunday, the last day of the regular season. “If I had told you at the beginning of the season that I dreamt of starting the wild card game, I would have been lying to you. At that time, all I wanted to do was win a spot in the Yankees’ rotation.”

Severino was born and raised in Sabana de la Mar, a small town on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. Partly because he was a fan of Robinson Canó, who played his first nine seasons in the Bronx, Severino grew up rooting for the Yankees.

“Behind my house, there was a little ballpark, and I would sneak away from home to go watch games,” Severino said. “I always dreamt of playing for the Yankees. That was my goal. In fact, when it came time to sign, I rejected a good offer from the Rockies to fulfill my dream. I still don’t believe that I’m here.”

Severino is married to Rosmaly and they have a 2-year-old daughter named Abigail. He’s relaxed in public, joking with teammates and friends on other teams, and taking time to sign as many autographs as possible for fans in the stands.

This is barely his third season in the majors. He looks more like a teenager. But does his age matter at this point? He’s set in his routines. He knows what to do on and off the mound. Severino has faith in his superstitions. And in his pitches. In baseball, that makes you good, no matter the color of your lucky gloves.

Featured Image: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport