Severino’s struggles continue to raise alarms

BALTIMORE — The first five batters had reached base, three of them scoring, as Luis Severino reared back to fire his 17th pitch. The outing already had the markings of being brief and ineffective, and when Adam Frazier blasted that fastball for a three-run homer, the Yankees pitcher jerked his neck toward Camden Yards’ right-field wall for a better look.

For weeks, the Yankees have been digging deep to cure what ails Severino, who swears that he is healthy and suspects that he may be tipping his pitches. The Orioles clearly had no issues identifying hittable offerings, batting around for seven first-inning runs as New York accepted a 9-3 defeat on Sunday night.

Opening a make-or-break week that may determine the front office’s path ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, the Yankees were out of the finale early. They dropped two of three games in the Inner Harbor, with showdowns against the Rays and Astros still to come.

The first-place Orioles secured the season series over New York, 7-6, the first time since 2016 that Baltimore has done so.

Severino allowed seven runs or more for the third time in five July starts, having also endured noncompetitive efforts on July 1 at St. Louis and July 6 vs. the Orioles. The righty permitted 10 hits, seeing his ERA swell from 6.46 to 7.49.

Jake Bauers homered and drove in two runs for the Yankees.