Severino uniquely dominant in 8 innings for first A's win

MILWAUKEE -- There are different ways to dominate your opponent when it comes to pitching. For Luis Severino, his dominance on the mound typically shows up in the form of racking up the strikeouts and making hitters look downright foolish with his devastating sweeper.

On Saturday, Severino registered a season-low one strikeout. He only recorded five whiffs on 92 pitches. Yet by the end of the night, it was by far Severino’s most impressive outing so far this season, twirling eight innings of one-run ball for the Athletics in a 3-1 victory over the Brewers at American Family Field.

Limiting Milwaukee to three hits and no walks, Severino became the first A’s starting pitcher to complete eight innings without walking a batter since Cole Irvin on Aug. 8, 2022, against the Angels.

“Only one strikeout in eight innings, that’s old-school baseball,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “He was pounding the zone and they were putting the ball in play. … To have a guy on the mound that’s strong, has a lot of confidence -- and I have a lot of confidence in leaving him out there to go back out in the eighth -- that’s a good feeling.”

Severino flashed an electric fastball that has reached up to 99 mph in his previous four starts with the A’s. Rather than reach back for the nasty stuff against this Brewers squad that has a knack for putting the ball in play, however, Severino focused on pitching to contact.

Distributing his five-pitch mix (22 sweepers, 22 sinkers, 22 fastballs, 21 cutters, 5 changeups) fairly evenly, Severino missed barrels all night, with the Brewers averaging an exit velocity of 86.6 mph on their 26 balls hit in play against him.

“This is a team that doesn’t really strike out,” Severino told MLB.com in Spanish. “So, there was no reason to go try to strike out 10 guys. My job was to get weak contact and make good pitches. That was my mentality. Make good pitches and get out of innings quickly.”

Severino had no choice but to be sharp in what was a pitchers’ duel opposite Brewers starter Chad Patrick.

Brent Rooker’s sixth home run of the season – a solo shot off Patrick in the sixth – provided Severino a one-run lead. After a solo blast by Shea Langeliers in the top of the ninth, there was a brief moment in which Severino attempted to convince Kotsay for a shot at a complete game, though the skipper quickly shot it down and opted for a fresh Mason Miller, who notched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to record his sixth save of 2025.

“[Kotsay] told me if we had scored more runs, I would have gone out for the ninth,” Severino said. “But we have a pretty good closer that needed to pitch also.”

When the Athletics signed Luis Severino to the largest contract in franchise history this offseason, the expectation, understandably, was that his arrival would come with a lot of wins. But nearly a month into the season, the A’s were winless through each of his first four starts.

It was not all on him: over Severino’s four starts, the A’s offense had scored just 10 runs, leading to a couple of tough-luck losses.

On Saturday, Severino delivered an ace-like performance. This time, the offense provided just enough run support, earning Severino his first win in green and gold.

“He was dominant,” Rooker said. “He was the ace that we brought him here to be. He went out there and showed why he was one of the elite arms in this league and dominated for eight innings. It was fun to watch.”

Those in the other dugout know all too well what Severino is capable of after he pitched the Mets to victory in Game 1 of the 2024 Wild Card Series against the Brewers in this very stadium last October.

"Severino was fantastic today,” said Brewers manager Pat Murphy. “How much did they pay him this year? That's why they did it, because he's good."

Severino’s two-year deal with a player option for 2027 could total $67 million. It’s a price the A’s believe is well worth it for a frontline starter they expect to deliver many more outings like this one.

“Up to this point, he’s pitched too good not to have a win for us,” Langeliers said. “Even tonight, he kind of had to battle it out in a close game. But Sevy just did Sevy things.”