How long is Luis Severino expected to miss due to lat strain? Injury update and recovery time

After making more starts in 2022 than he had since 2019, Luis Severino of the New York Yankees felt as though his past injury problems were finally in the rear-view mirror. Unfortunately, for his team, the 6-foot-2 Dominican does not appear to be out of the woods just yet.

On March 25, it was announced that Severino has suffered a strain on his latissimus dorsi. Although the right-hander is expected to recover within two to four weeks, he will need to start the season on the IL.

"Luis Severino is expected to begin the season on the IL with a lat strain, per @MaxTGoodman" - Talkin' Yanks

The news comes as a heavy blow to the New York Yankees. Despite putting together some of the strongest starting pitching in the MLB last season, the Yankees are now staring down the prospect of having three of their five slated starters on the bench to start the season.

The news comes on the heels of news that Carlos Rodon will be missing opening day with a forearm strain. After posting an ERA of 2.88 and 237 strikeouts last season with the San Francisco Giants, Rodon signed a six-year, $162 million deal with the Yankees.

Moreover, Frankie Montas, who was acquired in a deadline deal with the Oakland Athletics last season, will be undergoing season-ending surgery. Yankees GM Brian Cashman has come under fire as reports emerged that Montas was unhealthy when the Yankees acquired him last August.

Despite signing a four-year, $40 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2019, Severino has not been around very much. Tommy John surgery kept him sidelined for the vast majority of the 2020 season, while groin injuries dampened his 2021 campaign.

"Luis Severino's 2Ks in the 1st." - Rob Friedman

At the end of the 2021 season, Luis Severino was activated from the IL for the first time in 706 days. He returned to his normal self in 2022, posting an ERA of 3.18 and a record of 7-3, with 112 strikeouts over 101 innings.

His team should be grateful that Luis Severino looks unlikely to be out for long

With the Rodon and Montas injuries, a long-term injury to Severino could spell disaster for the Yankees rotation. Even with stars like Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes, the Yankees' starting rotation needs depth. Without Severino, the longest-tenured Yankee on the roster, the Yankees rotation is markedly worse off.