The New York Yankees have shut down starter Luis Severino right before spring training games are set to begin. The right-hander is experiencing right forearm discomfort, which he first began to feel against the Houston Astros in the 2019 ALCS.

Severino underwent two MRIs and a CT Scan during the offseason. The results for all three tests came back clean, but the 26-year-old will be re-evaluated.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman admitted to reporters Thursday that he doesn’t know if Severino is dealing with a significant injury.

"My elbow, shoulder and my whole arm is pretty good," Severino told reporters, via ESPN.com, noting that he only feels the pain when he throws changeups. "Like I said, I've been throwing really hard, I feel like my fastball is running pretty good, so I'm not worried about a spot other than that one."

Injuries have plagued Severino since he signed a four-year, $40 million contract shortly after reporting to spring training a year ago. A shoulder injury and a lat injury forced him to miss the first five and a half months of the 2019 season. Severino made three September appearances before starting two games in the playoffs.

Severino finished third in the 2017 AL Cy Young voting with a 2.98 ERA. He went 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA in the 2018 season.

New York’s offseason addition of Gerrit Cole is looking more important by the day. James Paxton might not return until June because of back surgery, putting 40% of the Yankees’ rotation on the shelf for the moment.

Cole, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ are the Yankees’ top three starters. Jordan Montgomery is slated to join the rotation after missing almost all of 2019 with Tommy John Surgery.

Luis Severino Yankees
Luis Severino #40 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout after being pulled against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning in Game Three of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 08, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Elsa/Getty Images
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