A's Starter Luis Severino Hits Injured List Due to Shoulder Strain

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have placed pitcher Luis Severino on the 15-day injured list due to a strained right shoulder, following his early exit from a recent game. This decision was announced on Saturday after Severino managed to pitch just one inning in a loss to the New York Yankees on Friday night.

During the game, Severino reported feeling tightness in his throwing shoulder while warming up for the second inning, which prompted him to leave the mound. “I felt like if I kept throwing, something even worse was going to happen,” he stated after the game. The A's have opted to sideline him for a minimum of two weeks to allow for recovery, bringing up right-handed pitcher Michael Kelly from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill his spot.

Prior to this incident, Severino had experienced some discomfort in his arm after a start against the Los Angeles Angels on May 21, leading the team to provide him with extra rest before his latest outing. In the brief time he spent on the mound against the Yankees, Severino struggled, permitting four unearned runs, highlighted by a three-run homer hit by Paul Goldschmidt.

Severino, 32, is currently in the second year of a three-year, $67 million contract with the Athletics and has recorded a 2-6 win-loss record with a 4.16 ERA across 12 starts this season. His injury comes on the heels of another setback for the A's, as fellow starter Aaron Civale was placed on the injured list earlier in the week due to shoulder issues. Gage Jump, a promising young pitcher, was called up to replace Civale but faced difficulties in his debut against Seattle.

Kelly, who began the year on the A's roster, had a challenging start with a 6.23 ERA in four relief outings before being sent to the minors. In Triple-A, he has made 13 relief appearances, compiling a 1-0 record with a 4.91 ERA and two saves.