Why Yankees’ Luis Severino wasn’t happy with Aaron Boone’s decision

Luis Severino told reporters he wasn’t happy when manager Aaron Boone pulled him from a 3-1 loss to the Twins at Target Field on Wednesday.

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MINNEAPOLIS — It was out of character for most pitchers, but particularly for the affable Luis Severino.

Severino didn’t immediately hand the ball to manager Aaron Boone when Boone came to remove him from the sixth inning of a 3-1 loss to the Twins at Target Field on Wednesday.

Instead, Severino spoke loudly to Boone, telling him he wanted to face just one more batter with two outs and runners on second base and third base.

No dice.

“I said to give me one more batter,” Severino said, “and he said that was it.”

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Before walking off, Severino, who pitched mostly well to that point and was at just 83 pitches, put down his head and put the ball in Boone’s hand without looking at him.

Severino, who gave up a run in 5 2/3 innings, later explained why he wasn’t particularly pleased with his manager.

He thought he could get the Yankees out of the inning.

“I mean, of course,” Severino said. “I got like 80-something pitches. I asked him to get one more hitter but he has his reasons and (reliever David) Robertson came and did a good job.”

Severino actually thought he might have a chance at talking down Boone.

“Maybe,” he said. “Sometimes you talk with your manager and you let him know you’ve got confidence to get out that batter and change his mind maybe.”

As for Boone, he said he didn’t mind Severino’s actions, which essentially boiled down to questioning him in a stadium filled with people, in front of live TV cameras.

“Absolutely,” Boone said. “I’m fine with my guys wanting to stay in the game. He was very pitch efficient, obviously. It wasn’t a pitch count issue. It was just starting to get away and he’s in the fight right now.”

Severino also might not have had Boone’s full confidence. Going into Wednesday, Severino had a 6.83 ERA in his previous 11 starts.

Boone said Severino’s previous performance was “baked into the cake” when it came to pulling Severino. So, too, was that the Yankees’ top relievers were rested and ready to go and Thursday’s off day would give them rest.

And Boone said he respects “the hell out of that,” referring to Severino wanting to stay in the game.

“He wants the ball and he wanted to get out of that situation just the way that we were lined up,” Boone said, “it felt like it was the right move at the time. But I have no issue with him wanting the ball.”

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