Yankees brush off Luis Severino 'two good hitters' comment - ESPN

The New York Yankees are brushing off recent comments from former teammate Luis Severino, who quipped last week that the Bronx Bombers «only have two good hitters.»

The Yankees open a two-game series Tuesday against Severino and his current team, the New York Mets. Severino did not face his former team last month when the crosstown rivals played a two-game series in Queens, prompting multiple Yankees to jab Severino over a group text chain for being «afraid» of them.

«They talked s--- about me… 'Oh, you're afraid of us,'» Severino told reporters last Friday. «I say, 'I'm not afraid of you. You guys right now only have two good hitters.'»

After their game Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees were asked about Severino, who is not slated to pitch in either of the two games this week at Yankee Stadium.

«It's just noise,» catcher Austin Wells said, according to the New York Daily News. «You just try to block that out.»

«It is what it is,» added All-Star outfielder Juan Soto, who hit two home runs Monday in the Yankees' 9-1 victory. «They can think whatever they want.»

Severino, 30, spent parts of the last nine seasons with the Yankees before signing as a free agent last winter with the Mets. The two-time All-Star has been solid for the Mets this season after five straight injury-plagued campaigns with the Yankees, going 7-3 with a 3.58 ERA while leading the team in innings pitched (115.2) and quality starts (9).

When elaborating last Friday on the group chat, Severino indirectly referred to Soto and fellow All-Star Aaron Judge as the Yankees' only two «good hitters.» Soto is batting .311 with 25 homers and 71 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees while Judge is batting .310 and leads the majors with 35 homers