Shortly before noon Tuesday — about 32 hours prior to first pitch of sudden death — Aaron Boone removed the great mystery around the Yankees.
Luis Severino will start Wednesday’s wild-card game against the A’s.
The Yankees manager was nebulous about the brew of information that led to Severino over Masahiro Tanaka and, especially, J.A. Happ. Most revealing, though, was this from Boone: “When he’s pitching at his best, I believe he will be the best pitcher on the field [Wednesday].”
Severino provides the greatest chance for lockdown stuff in Boone’s estimation, the opportunity to look up in the sixth or seventh inning and have a Madison Bumgarner October moment going.