Luis Severino pens heartfelt message to Yankees as Mets make signing official

As the Mets made their signing of Luis Severino official, the right-hander posted a heartfelt goodbye to the Yankees on his Instagram account Friday afternoon.

Severino, who has only been with the Yankees since signing with them as an amateur free agent in 2011, thanked the organization, his teammates and the fans in two separate posts.

“As a young boy growing up in the Dominican Republic as a Yankee fan, I could only dream of what it would be like to play the game that I love professionally at the MLB level and earn the opportunity to don the famous pinstripes,” he wrote. “In 2011, my dreams became a reality when the New York Yankees organization took a chance on me and gave me and my family the opportunity of a lifetime by signing me as an international free agent.

“From the time I put on that special uniform and completed the journey of making my MLB debut in 2015, the Yankees organization and the city of New York welcomed my family and me into their hearts, which we are forever grateful!”

The 29-year-old will remain in New York with the Mets on a one-year deal as he looks to get his career back on track after a disastrous 2023 campaign in which he pitched to a 6.65 ERA in 18 starts.

Severino had been a key fixture in the Yankees rotation since his debut in 2015 but has struggled to stay healthy, making just 40 starts in the last five seasons, including Tommy John surgery that sidelined him all of 2020.

Before the injuries, Severino put together back-to-back All-Star seasons in 2017 and 2018 and quickly became a fan favorite and made sure to thank them specifically in a second post.

“Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank the greatest fans in the world,” he wrote. “From the time I arrived in New York, my family and I felt as if this was our home and we are so proud to have spent so much time here. You all played a huge part in my career as well as my family’s and would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”