It seems as if the Athletics have an unhappy passenger aboard the team bus.
Marquee offseason acquisition and franchise record signing Luis Severino has not masked his frustrations over the lackluster ballpark in Sacramento the Athletics will call home until their move to Las Vegas. He's struggled pitching at home at Sutter Health Park, and he's made clear that he feels the environment on the road, pitching at actual MLB stadiums, has enhanced his performance when away from home.
According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, Severino's latest comments about the team's stadium haven't sat well with the front office, who Nightengale indicates, "can't wait" to find a trade partner for the disgruntled starting pitcher. The report indicates that Severino is "agitating the organization" by bashing the environment in Sacramento.
The numbers don't lie, however. Pitching at home this season, Severino has made 10 starts and hasn't recorded a single win. He's 0-7 with a 6.79 ERA, 45 strikeouts, 71 hits and 20 walks across 57 innings. The 31-year-old looks a completely different pitcher on the road, where he's logged a 2.27 ERA across seven starts and has struck out 23 batters while walking 11.
Still, to publicly bash the stadium that will be the team's home through the 2027 MLB season is not a good look for Severino, and it may be one that sees him shipped out of town before long.
Severino signed the largest total money contract in Athletics history this offseason when the organization inked him to a three-year, $67 million deal in free agency.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Athletics 'Can't Wait' to Trade Luis Severino Amid Comments About Sacramento Ballpark.
