Yankees pitching rotation 2023: On Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino

NEW YORK – Another rough start by Luis Severino did nothing to alter the uncertainty regarding his immediate future in the Yankees' rotation.

"Everything's on the table moving forward,'' manager Aaron Boone said Friday night, after Severino's ERA reached 7.71 through 13 starts during a 7-3 loss to the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium.

"We'll kind of talk through it,'' Boone said of whether to skip Severino's next turn or have him work out his fastball command issues in the bullpen. "Whatever we do is to try to get him to find that consistency.''

In six starts since July 1, Severino has posted an 11.22 ERA, yielding nine home runs in 25.2 innings - including two homers across four innings Friday night.

Severino acknowledged that his place in the rotation remains a topic of organizational discussion. If he goes to the 'pen, perhaps rookie Randy Vasquez gets another shot in the rotation.

“As of right now, I’m a starting pitcher, I love having a (regular) day for me,’’ said Severino. “But at the end of the day, I’m on the team and whatever they need to do’’ would be agreeable to the struggling right-hander.

Here's a look at the state of the Yankees' rotation, in this two-month sprint toward the regular season finish line:

Beyond frustrated following his July 30 start at Baltimore, Severino said he felt like "the worst pitcher in the game,'' having yielded a season-high nine runs in 3.1 innings.

Despite Friday's loss, Severino felt his confidence was improving.

His cutter and change-up showed more life, but Severino still issued three walks and hit a batter with the bases loaded.

In the first inning, he was ambushed on the first pitch by Jose Altuve, who doubled, and Yainer Diaz's two-out, three-run homer put the Yanks in a quick 3-0 deficit.

"Just another grind out there,'' said Boone, suggesting that Severino had been a candidate to lose his rotation spot until Domingo German was placed on the inactive list and agreed to an alcohol treatment program following a disturbing clubhouse episode Aug. 1.

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Severino's next turn would be Wednesday at Chicago against the White Sox.

At least physically, "I feel healthy,'' said Severino, whose velocity is there. "I've got to keep working...keep finding ways'' to improve.

He's the been the definition of an elite ace starter, reliably pitching every fifth day and placing himself in the AL Cy Young award conversation.

Cole (10-2, 2.64) leads the league in ERA and innings pitched (143.1), and his 17 quality starts (at least 6 IP with 3 ER or less) is baseball's best.

And that stat really stands out, since the entire Yankees' staff has produced just 32 quality starts, ranking them 12th in the league. That's right - the entire rest of the Yankees' rotation has two fewer quality starts than Cole.

Cortes was slated to slot back into the rotation Saturday, for the first time since May 30.

“Feel like he’s in a good place physically, where he’s been throwing the ball well the past month,’’ Boone said of the lefty’s rehab from a rotator cuff strain.

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Cortes’ spring training was delayed slightly by a hamstring strain, and the feeling is that he might have rushed back and his mechanics suffered in the process.

Over his first 11 starts this year, Cortes posted a 5.16 ERA – not exactly mirroring his first-half 2022 performance, which got him placed on the AL All-Star team.

“Obviously, he’s not all the way built up yet,’’ Boone said of Cortes’ stamina for going deep in starts. “But I do feel like he can be a big lift for us.’’

Last winter's big free agent acquisition - signed to a six-year, $162 million contract - has yet to fire on all cylinders in the Bronx.

Rodon's season debut was delayed by a forearm strain and back issues, and he's yet to find anything close to his previous All-Star status over his first five starts - posting a 6.29 ERA.

The lefty has walked 16 batters and yielded six home runs in just 24.1 innings, averaging less than five innings per start.

Signed to be Cole's wingman into October, it's imperative to the Yankees' chances that Rodon rights the ship.

The right-hander got off to a rough start, posting a 6.00 ERA into mid-May.

Since then, Schmidt has been the Yankees' second-best starter, with a 5-2 record and a 3.20 ERA, though he doesn't go much beyond the fifth inning.

But Schmidt has never lacked confidence, and he’s been gaining more of it as he learns to handle lefty hitters, which have historically given him trouble.

Getting through a lineup a third time is his next hurdle.

“It’s been fun to watch him grind, compete, learn, develop,’’ Boone said. “And his confidence has carried him through a lot of that.’’