Wishful-thinking Joe Girardi compares Luis Severino to Roy Halladay

11:15 PM ET

TORONTO — For the time being, the most important starts for the New York Yankees’ franchise are going to be happening in places like Scranton, Columbus and Toledo.

These are the Triple-A locales where Luis Severino will try to recapture the magic that made him appear to be a future ace, with many speculating the future could be as early as this season.

Instead, the Yankees took Severino, 22, off the disabled list and immediately shipped him to the minors. There wasn’t much of a choice.

Luis Severino will head to Triple-A, looking to find the form that led him to a 2.89 ERA in 11 starts last season. Jim Cowsert/USA TODAY Sports

Severino has been one of the worst starters in baseball this season; his 7.46 ERA is the second-poorest among pitchers with 35 innings or more.

While more hesitant to throw his changeup, his fastball — roaring in at the same 95 mph as last year — has been crushed this season.

Opponents have demolished his heater at a .356 clip, with 26 percent of the balls being hit hard, according to ESPN Stats & Info. During his 11 starts as a rookie last season, batters had just a .235 average with a hard-hit rate of 17 percent against his heater.

The one positive of those numbers is that Severino, who was on the disabled list with a triceps injury, appears to be healthy. Usually, the velocity goes if something is wrong with a pitcher’s arm.

Severino threw a rehab game in Tampa, …

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