Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Luis Severino threw the fastest pitch by a starter in 2017

Luis Severino and Félix Hernández locked horns in a pitchers' duel on Thursday night in Seattle. They shut down the opposition and kept the game scoreless until Brett Gardner's sixth-inning homer put the Yankees in front, 1-0.
The youngster Severino prevailed in this tight matchup, but it wasn't easy. In the bottom of the fourth, he needed to dial back for a little bit extra. Severino had to maneuver around a leadoff double by Kyle Seager, and he faced Jean Segura with the bases loaded and two outs.
Ahead in the count, 1-2, Severino went with the fastball:

At 101.2 mph, it was the fastest pitch of 2017 by a starting pitcher. Segura managed to foul the offering back, but Severino won the battle four pitches later by inducing a ground ball to short. The Yankees took the game as well, 4-1.
Severino credited the uptick to his diligence to his routine. "Right now, I feel good. My arms feel good, my body's feeling good," Severino said to MLB.com's Josh Horton. "It's been five days. I worked the day before running and stuff. The stuff we do with the trainer and conditioning, that's really helped me." 
Unlike a reliever, Severino couldn't simply empty the tank in one inning, and yet he still managed to throw it that hard anyway. That's some impressive heat.

BarberJordan
beephero
AP_702417634020
NYC