Earlier this month, Tiki called the Yankees out for “negligence” after Anthony Rizzo was placed on the IL for post-concussion symptoms that were traced back to a collision at first base more than two months prior.
On Thursday, Tiki called negligence again, this time for the treatment of Luis Severino, who may be physically healthy, but clearly needs a mental break to reset.
“He’s mentally shot,” Tiki said. “He’s saying things that no elite-level competitor would say, which is, ‘I suck, I’m the worst pitcher in baseball right now.’ For Aaron Boone to run him out there knowing he is thinking this way, what the heck do we expect is going to happen? Half of having success as an athlete is knowing you’re going to be successful, even if you ultimately lose. Just knowing, ‘I’m better than that guy across from me, I can get this guy out.’
“We get him run out every single time, regular rotation starts, and he gets smashed into oblivion…whoever keeps running Luis Severino out there, just ignoring the fact that he is mentally shot, is doing a disservice to him, and it’s negligence on the part of the Yankees again.”
Morash wondered if Boone was making the decision to keep trying Severino, noting that the righty is near the end of his contract, and the front office may not hold an investment in him to keep throwing him out there. But Tiki countered by saying that Boone is in the clubhouse, should see up close how rattled Severino is, and protect his player. But that doesn’t seem to be happening.
“Who the hell is in charge of the Yankees right now?” Tiki said. “That is the question we should be asking.”
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