NL DIVISION SERIES: METS VS PHILLIES

October 5, 2024

Luis Severino

Citizens Bank Park

New York Mets

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. How much do you like pitching here in Philly and how is this Phillies lineup different than the one you just faced with the Brewers?

LUIS SEVERINO: It's going to be the same lineup I faced the last two times in the regular season. That was the last thing that I face, I think. It's going to be the same lineup. It's going to be loud, of course. It's going to be a loud place tonight and tomorrow.

Just going to focus and do my job, try to make my pitches. They've got a good lineup. If I can manage the big guys like, you know, Harper, Schwarber, Turner, guys that can hit homers, I think I can be good.

Q. What was your reaction when you found out that Kodai Senga would be coming back today?

LUIS SEVERINO: I had a feeling the last one we won the game in Milwaukee it was going to be him. We were not sure about it, but I was happy to be able to have somebody like him join the team, even for two pitches, you know. It's Senga, so he's going to be a boost for us.

Q. You've had the chance to be in a lot of postseasons, get close to the World Series, but in the end only one team wins. At this point in your career when you think about all the work that goes into it, just speak about the battle it is, no matter how talented a team is, in the end only one makes it.

LUIS SEVERINO: I think at the end, when we made the playoffs, it's not about who's the best team. Every team gets hotter. Whatever team is in the moment. I think right now we are in that moment. We won a game nobody thought was going to win it. We did. Right now, I would say we have a chip on our shoulder, that we have to go out there and fight until the end. We were not the favorite to make the playoffs, and we were not the favorite to win everything.

We know that. We going to go compete every day.

Q. You mentioned how loud it will be here. What are the keys to handling that atmosphere when you're on the mound?

LUIS SEVERINO: Try to put the pitch count maybe as high as you can to hear the pitches.

For me, I've been in this atmosphere before. Just about making pitches. At the end doesn't matter how loud it is, if you make your pitches you're going to be good. If you miss a pitch you're going to pay for it.

For me my focus is just trying to hit the glove every time. I'll be giving the sign, and trying to do damage.

Q. Carlos Mendoza said near the end of the season he thought you were getting a little tired. How do you feel now and how has the adrenaline of October helped that?

LUIS SEVERINO: I think October everybody is tired, so it's nothing new. Right now I feel really good. A couple more starts is not going to be a huge deal. I feel good. The velocity is there, the movement is still there. For some reason I keep having these weird innings that get me through a hundred-and-something pitches. But I feel good.

Q. What has been the last week been like not knowing if you're starting Monday, then starting Tuesday, then getting out of that and going deeper into that game, and then finally getting a little rest and being to start tomorrow?

LUIS SEVERINO: Yeah, it's been weird, you know, just not knowing when to start. Usually I'm a starter, I know in two days I'm going to start. But it's the situation.

We were trying to make the playoffs then. We made the playoffs. And then I was pitching in the game, a little tired, and then I didn't know it was going to go to the 6th or 5th. Like I said before, just in the playoffs it's everything you've got. When they give me the ball, I wanted to go out there and try to give the team some innings. If I have to go a hundred-and-something pitches every time, I will do it.

Q. In your last start in Milwaukee it was a little rocky through four innings, and then you settled down in the 5th and the 6th. You got six straight outs. What can you take away? What did you learn from that start to bring to your start tomorrow against the Phillies?

LUIS SEVERINO: I think for me that couple, first and second inning, I think it was just about to letting the team know I'm going to be available no matter what. Five runs in the first, I think like it will be huge if I can come back to the second inning and third inning and trying to do anything I can to at least not give that work to the bullpen.

For me, just going out there and giving everything I've got, every pitch, it doesn't matter how the score is.

Q. The first time in 18 years the Mets and Yankees are playing a postseason game on the same day. Somebody that's been on both sides of it, what kind of day is this for New York baseball?

LUIS SEVERINO: I can say there will be a lot of traffic, more than usual (laughter). No, I think it's going to be fun. And hopefully, it's not going to be possible, but we're going to go there on Tuesday, they're going to leave, but having those two games at the same time, New York will be crazy. But I think for the New York fans it will be a great day. I don't know much about football, but at least in baseball, New York is doing a good job.