What keyed Yankees’ Luis Severino ending month-long slump

Luis Severino improved to 15-5 this season, following the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 (8/8/18) at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Ill. Severino gave up three runs on seven hits, with eight strikeouts.

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CHICAGO — The most important thing that Yankees right-hander Luis Severino did between his start last Friday night in Boston and his Wednesday night assignment on the Southside of Chicago was work, work, work, and work some more on his second-best pitch.

His slider needed some fixing.

Without it dipping like it can, opposing hitters can sit on his high-90s fastball because his changeup, although greatly improved from two years ago, remains a third pitch that isn’t used much.

Severino’s slider not sliding right was a big reason why he slumped to an 0-3 record and 9.00 ERA over in four starts leading up his outing against the White Sox after going 14-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 19 starts in which his slider was a lot better.

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And so, Severino focused on his slider Monday night while he was being supervised by pitching coach Larry Rothschild as he threw his between-start bullpen in the visiting ‘pen at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“Yeah, Larry and I worked a lot in the bullpen to get that shape back,” Severino said. “It worked.”

Sure did.

Severino was back throwing a lot of good sliders Wednesday night in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the White Sox, and that was his secret sauce to breaking out of his month-long slump.

“It had good shape,” Severino said. “It was in control.”

Severino (15-5) gave up two first-inning runs on two sliders that became hits, but his breaking ball became his best out pitch in a three-run, seven-inning, 109-pitch outing in which he allowed seven hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk anyone.

“I really felt like the tilt on (Severino’s slider) was pretty good all night, especially as it wore on,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s such a devastating pitch for him.”

Here’s a breakdown of Severino’s pitches against the White Sox:

— He threw 57 fastballs, recording six outs and allowing five hits, including a homer.

— He threw 45 sliders, recording 11 outs and two hits …an RBI double and RBI single back-to-back in the first inning.

— He threw 7 changes, recording three outs.

— Six of his eight strikeouts were on sliders with one each coming on a fastball and changeup.

For sure, the slider was a key to Severino’s 15th win, as it was a lot better than last Friday in Boston when he allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-1 Yankees loss.

“To see that kind of return to form was good and for him to give us seven strong innings was another big pick-me-up,” Boone said.

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.