A sign Yankees may avoid Luis Severino for Wild Card game

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked if Luis Severino would be the team’s American League Wild Card Game starter following the 8-2 loss to the A’s on Wednesday, September 5, 2018 (9/5/18) in Oakland, Calif. Severino gave up five runs in just 2.2 innings of work, as the Yankees’ wild card lead went down to 3.5 games.

OAKLAND — From unquestioned ace to big-game snub?

Yankees manager Aaron Boone wouldn’t commit to Luis Severino being his starter for the do-or-die American League Wild Card game.

“We have a few weeks for that kind of stuff to unfold and see where we’re at and we’ll make those decisions as we go,” Boone told reporters following Severino’s terrible outing in a 8-2 loss to the A’s at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Boone had been asked if he expected Severino, who gave up five earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings, and Gary Sanchez, who had two passed balls, to be his battery in the elimination game.

Boone had been asked, if the game was tomorrow, would Severino and Sanchez be his picks?

He at first deflected with a joke.

“Well,” Boone said, “Sevy would need four days off. So, no, he would not be.”

McCutchen over Gardner?

Severino’s performance lately has been a joke itself.

In his last 11 starts, he’s got a plus-6 ERA.

On Wednesday, he blamed himself, and he added that signal cross-ups with Sanchez were to blame for the passed balls and Severino’s two wild pitches.

Severino was asked if he thought he needed to prove that he’s worthy of the Wild Card game nod.

“I think I need to get better to help my team win,” said Severino, who was the team’s unquestioned ace after a 14-2, 2.31 ERA first half. “Whatever will happen in the Wild Card Game will happen. We have five great guys here. I just need to keep getting better and keep helping my team win a game.”

Severino was the Yankees’ Wild Card starter last year, but the Twins drubbed him before he was bailed out by the lineup and the bullpen.

In 2015, Masahiro Tanaka started the Yankees’ Wild Card game loss to the Astros.

The Yankees’ next-best option might currently be 35-year-old J.A. Happ, who dominated the A’s on Tuesday, and has been mostly very good since coming over from the Blue Jays in a deal just before the trade deadline.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.