TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino was a late scratch ahead of his scheduled appearance Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves due to right shoulder discomfort, the team announced.
Severino will be evaluated and examined further later Tuesday afternoon, the Yankees said.
The start would have been Severino’s first of spring training.
Minutes before the game, the right-hander was seen going through his normal warm-up routine in the outfield. After the national anthem and a delay of seven minutes, left-handed pitcher Stephen Tarpley jogged onto the field with the rest of the starting Yankees, replacing Severino and making the last-minute start.
The ace of the Yankees’ pitching staff, Severino went 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA last season. Earlier this spring, he signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension.
Center fielder Aaron Hicks, who signed a seven-year, $70 million extension last week, wasn’t listed on the pregame lineup as he continues to recover from a tight back. Hicks hasn’t played since last Friday.
Manager Aaron Boone had previously speculated that Hicks would return for Tuesday’s game.