Even Luis Severino didn’t know he was gonna learn English this way! A man who can throw a fastball at 97 mph with his right arm discovered the most surprising tool against language obstacles. The Athletics’s star found an unexpected inspiration, and an unlikely language coach — the hit TV show F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Luis Severino signed a free-agency contract with the New York Yankees in 2011. Then came the Mets, and finally, this offseason, the Oakland Athletics signed him for a three-year, $67 million deal. And as with many Latin American athletes, he too, had to overcome the difficult task of learning English while adjusting to the demands of professional baseball.
In a recent Foul Territory interview, Severino casually opened up about everything from his game to the unexpected source of his remarkable fluency in English. “FRIENDS got me to a different level. Watching the show friends, helped me a lot. Understand the humor and all the stuff.”
Could he BE any more fluent?
Luis Severino said watching Friends helped take his English to another level. pic.twitter.com/gpUmqXvv21
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 15, 2025
Severino isn’t just fluent in English — he’s fluent in dominance on the mound, too. After a series of injury-plagued seasons with the Yankees, he recovered this year with the Mets, recording a 3.91 ERA in 31 starts and 161 strikeouts in 182 innings. His skills have long been known by the A’s.
As the opening games draw near, all eyes will be on him. Will he be able to push the Oakland Athletics one step closer to a playoff run?
Luis Severino aims to keep A’s on the right track
The Oakland Athletics signed Severino to make a statement. The agreement was a significant endorsement of his skill and leadership for a team renowned for its frugal expenditures. With his ability to gobble up innings and perform under duress, he is anticipated to be the cornerstone of the A’s pitching staff.
The A’s have a strong rotation thanks to adding veterans Jeffrey Springs and Luis Severino this summer. JP Sears and Osvaldo Bido have already guaranteed their positions in the lineup, and Severino is anticipated to be the ace. Mitch Spence is still running for fifth place, but Joey Estes is the clear favorite. Later in the season, left-hander Ken Waldichuk, who is still recuperating from Tommy John surgery, might be included as well. The rotation will stabilize, and the A’s are expected to have a solid anchor at the top thanks to Severino’s experience and consistency.
In 2017, his young electric arm was placed third in the AL Cy Young Award voting. Severino displayed a four-seamer that averaged 96.2 mph in 2024. When signing him, A’s GM David Forst was happy and didn’t hold it back, “Landing someone of Luis’ caliber was the first priority. I’m excited for that.”
Even Severino believes in what the A’s are creating. When the A’s came to Citi Field in August and defeated the Mets two out of three, he noticed the quality on display and was reminded of the tenacious team he had faced in the postseason six years earlier. “When they played us in New York, this team looked like the 2018 A’s,” Severino said. “A young team that got to the playoffs. They were hungry to go onto the field and play winning baseball. I’m excited to be part of this team and part of a new organization. I think we’re going to head in a good direction.”
Although Luis Severino’s journey from the Dominican Republic to Major League Baseball wasn’t an easy ride, his versatility, on and off the field, has been a constant. Now that he’s with the A’s, Severino wants to lead a young, talented rotation into postseason contention and be a good pitcher. If his performance lives up to his confidence, the Oakland Athletics might have finally found the ace they’ve been looking for.
The post “Helped Me a Lot” – Athletics’ $67M Pitcher Credits Hit TV Show for Conquering English Language Struggles appeared first on EssentiallySports.