The New York Yankees are set to open up the 2026 season relying on starters Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Luis Gil to hold down the rotation until Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon return.
After making no big external free agent signings, the Yankees could still make a trade to improve their roster ahead of Opening Day, and Athletics’ starter Luis Severino might be a plausible trade candidate in a reunion deal. Severino spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Yankees and was named to two All-Star appearances with New York. A recent mock trade suggests that the Yankees might be Severino’s best suitor.
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MLB Mock Trade Links Luis Severino with Old Squad
In a recent mock trade piece by Sports Illustrated’s Thomas Carelli, Luis Severino would head back to the Bronx in return for a three-prospect package:
“The Athletics are hopeful to contend this year. However, if history tells us anything, they will not. As of now, their win total Over/Under is set at 75.5. That has them as a long shot to make the playoffs. In turn, they would look to trading Severino away and retaining future assets as a much cheaper dollar amount.”
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Severino signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Athletics before the 2025 season and has a player option for the 2027 season. This could also be a mid-season trade that the Yankees consider if the Athletics end up being sellers towards the trade deadline.
If Severino’s 2026 season with the Athletics starts poorly, he may want out due to not enjoying pitching in Suter Health Park, which is a minor league stadium.
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Is Luis Severino A Good Fit for the Yankees?
Luis Severino’s tenure with the Yankees started out really strong, and many thought he was going to be the ace of the future, and he was for a few seasons.
However, injuries piled up in the latter years of his tenure in the Bronx. Severino went across town to the New York Mets to rejuvenate his career before landing with the Athletics.
In 2025, Severino posted a 4.54 ERA over 162.2 innings, but he posted some of the more drastic home/road splits for a starter. His ERA was just above 3.00 on the road, and nearly 6 at his home ballpark.
He boasted a 3.79 ERA with the Yankees in the first eight years of his MLB career, and then posted a 3.91 ERA with the Mets in his one season in Queens.
Severino is still just 31 years old, so it’s not like the Yankees would be re-acquiring him at the very end of his career as some sort of charity addition.
If the Athletics decided to move on from Severino, there would be several top suitors across the league.
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