Former New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino has decided that he will return to the Athletics for this coming baseball season.

Severino held a $22 million player option for the 2027 season, and he could have chosen to decline it and immediately become a free agent this offseason. However, he has decided to exercise his player option, and he will return to the Athletics for another season.

Luis Severino Returns to Athletics

Per baseball insider Mike Rodriguez, Severino has picked up his $22 million contract option to return to the Athletics in 2027.

“Breaking News: According to my sources, the Dominican right-handed pitcher #LuisSeverino exercised his US$22 million option for the 2027 season and will continue with the Athletics. Severino will become a free agent after the 2027 season. #MLB #Atleticos,” Rodriguez wrote on his X.

Breaking News: Según mis fuentes, el lanzador derecho dominicano #LuisSeverino ejerció su opción de US$22 millones para la temporada 2027 y continuará con los Atléticos.

Severino será agente libre después de la temporada 2027. #MLB #Atleticos

Luis Severino MLB Career

Severino is a 32-year-old starting pitcher who made his debut in MLB back in 2015 for the Yankees.

He ended up pitching the first nine seasons of his big-league career with the Yankees, including earning All-Star nods for New York in 2017 and 2018.

After leaving the Yankees, Severino signed with the New York Mets in 2024 and then joined the Athletics in 2025.

He made $20 million for the Athletics in 2025, $25 million in 2026, and just picked up his $22 million for 2027, meaning he would have made $67 million over his three years with the Athletics.

This past season, Severino pitched 12 games for the Athletics, going 2-6 with a 4.16 ERA and 1.0 bWAR. He dealt with injuries last season, but he hopes to be ready to go for the start of the 2027 season, whenever that is.

Although Severino has had an up-and-down tenure so far with the Athletics, he simply could not turn down the guaranteed $22 million after he was coming off a down year where he dealt with injuries.

Overall, in Severino’s MLB career, he is 75-61 with a 3.93 ERA. He has been worth 15.9 bWAR overall, indicating that he has been about a league-average pitcher for the majority of his MLB career. A veteran innings eater, the Athletics will count on him to head up what should be a young starting rotation for them next season.