It’s Sevy time on Thursday night in Houston, Luis Severino tasked with taking the ball and trying to get the Yankees back to 1-1 in the ALCS before they head back to New York for the weekend.
And on the bright side, he sees a lot of similarities in the Astros of now with the Astros of 2017 (which he faced twice in the ALCS) and the Guardians lineup he just “
“I think they're similar, but with more power, I would say. You know, a team that doesn't strikeout that much. They put the ball in play,” Severino said of the Guardians comp. “So I think it's around the same team that we faced since 2017. They got a couple different guys, but I still think they're around the same team.”
On the other side, however, he still remembers the hostility of the 2017 ALCS, and even 2019 when he was on the bench because his lone appearance came in New York – and he’s ready for the hostile environment.
“I mean, everywhere we go we're not liked, so it's not always, it's not here, it's everywhere, so it's going to be the same. You know, if we go to, I mean, Boston, every year is the same,” he said. “But, I mean, it's like that everywhere we go, so I think we're used to it and we embrace that.
They just don't like us because they think we're good and we can win.”
He’s also ready to try to slay some of the demons the Yankees have at Minute Maid Park.
“Not as revenge, but we need to play and win. They have a good team, and they know we have a good team, so we just need to go out there and compete and try to win,” Sevy said. “I think about our losses here, that’s the only thing that came to my mind. I think all the guys that have been here since (2017), they have to remember that. They have to remember that feeling and try to not feel the same way this year, try to be better, try to go out there with that mentality and win games.”
One of those demons: Jose Altuve, the MVP of that 2017 season and the lead target in the Astros’ cheating scandal, but a man who was 0-for-3 with a walk atop the lineup Wednesday.
“He’s a great hitter. So for me, it's whatever is good for me that day. I don't think there is like a sure way to go to get him out,” Sevy said. “He's a smart guy. He's been in the league for a long time. He's been hitting .300 for a long time. So for me I just need to go wherever I think is going to work for me.”
Sevy has gotten over 2017, saying “MLB did what they need to do to fix whatever they were doing,” but admitted the Astros are still a strong team without that, so it’s time to focus on the present.
“They have a great lineup and have always been good, so we need to focus on the present right now. We have the team that beat us a couple times in front of us and we have to go out there and just give a hundred percent and play good baseball,” Sevy said. “If I’m still angry (about 2017), what’s that going to do? Is that going to change something? No, so we just have to go out there and compete.”
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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