The Yankees were in need of a laugher. And the right pitcher was on the mound to lead them to one.
Luis Severino accentuated his rank among baseball’s elite starters in the Yankees’ 6-0 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, striking out nine batters across seven innings in a shutout performance.
Severino now has a major league-high 12 wins, and his 2.10 ERA is ranked second-best in the American League — fourth-best in MLB.
But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Severino has posted six or more strikeouts in 23 consecutive road starts, and only Hall-of-Famers Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson have more such games in the Modern Era.