Sep 17, 2019 3 min read

Luis Severino pitched four dominant innings and reached 98.8 mph in his injury-delayed season debut for the Yankees, an 8-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night that moved New York to the brink of clinching its 21st postseason appearance in 25 years.

A two-time All-Star and the ace of the Yankees staff, Severino got hurt while warming up before his first scheduled spring training appearance on March 5.

He began tentatively in game 152, opening with a 12-pitch walk to Brian Goodwin, but got sharper and allowed just a pair of singles. Severino walked two and struck out four, throwing 47 of 67 pitches for strikes and leaving to an ovation from fans tracking his pitch count. He had seven swings and misses on fastballs and two on sliders.

Severino’s return gives the Yankees a plethora of postseason rotation choices from a group that includes James Paxton (14-6), Masahiro Tanaka (10-8), Domingo Germán (18-4), CC Sabathia (5-8) and J.A. Happ (12-8).

Severino was 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts last year but struggled late in the season. The Yankees at first this year diagnosed Severino with shoulder inflammation, but when the 25-year-old right-hander failed to improve he was sent for an MRI on April 9 that revealed a strained latissimus dorsi muscle. He didn’t throw off a mound again until a bullpen session on Aug. 9 and made three minor league injury rehabilitation appearances from Sept. 1-11.

National League

Dickerson out for remainder of season: Philadelphia outfielder Corey Dickerson will not return this season after an injury to his left foot was determined to be a fracture.

The Phillies placed Dickerson on the 60-day injured list before Tuesday night’s game at Atlanta. He fouled a ball off the foot on Sept. 4 and had not played since Sept. 11. Initial X-rays were negative, so Tuesday’s announcement was a surprise.

Philadelphia acquired Dickerson from Pittsburgh on July 31. He hit .304 overall with 12 homers and 59 RBIs, including .293 with eight homers with the Phillies.

Herzog recovering from stroke: Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog is recovering from a minor stroke.

The 87-year-old Herzog became ill Monday at his charity golf tournament at Forest Hills Country Club in suburban St. Louis.

The Cardinals say Herzog is “currently resting and doing well.” The team provided an update on Herzog on Tuesday.

Nicknamed “the White Rat,” Herzog had a 1,281-1,125 record in 18 years as a major league manager with the Cardinals, Royals, Rangers and Angels.

Under Herzog’s direction, St. Louis won the championship in 1982 and also made it to the World Series in 1985 and 1987. Herzog was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.