Luis Severino Injury: Yankees Receive Concerning News About Their Ace

Luis Severino has hit a roadblock in his recovery, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

Boone told reporters Monday before the Yankees’ game against the Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston that Severino was returning to New York for another MRI and further medical examination.

Severino has been on the injured list since the start of the season with shoulder inflammation, and it’s still unclear when the right-hander will make his 2019 debut, especially given Monday’s update.

This obviously is troubling news for the Yankees, who entered Monday with a 5-4 record. Severino has solidified himself as one of the best pitchers in the American League — and all of Major League Baseball, for that matter — over the past two seasons. A prolonged absence would be a huge blow to New York’s rotation, although fellow starter CC Sabathia could return this weekend after serving a five-game suspension and then landing on the injured list to open the 2019 campaign.

It’s difficult to tell at this point what Severino’s apparent setback means in the long run. It ultimately could be nothing more than a blip on the radar for a team with World Series aspirations. But the Yankees have dealt with several injuries on the offensive side to begin the season. They can’t afford to lose Severino for an extended period while trying to keep pace in the AL East.

Severino, who finished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2017, is coming off a ninth-place finish in 2018. The 25-year-old owns a 33-14 record, 3.18 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 63 starts over the past two seasons.

Severino, who was shut down in early March, signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with the Yankees back in February.