ARLINGTON -- Before righty Luis Severino took the mound against the Rangers on Tuesday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he hoped that the 22-year-old, the youngest pitcher to start a game this season, would be able to find some consistency after three mediocre outings.
But after allowing six runs in a 10-1 loss, Severino will just have to keep searching for his consistency -- and for his first win of 2016. A five-run third inning on Tuesday was his last, making this the second-shortest outing of his 15-start career.
"I'm sure it's tough right now, because he's probably never struggled to this level," Girardi said. "But that's part of it, too -- you've got to fight in this game. This game is not easy. I think his stuff's even going to get better as he develops, but right now he's going through a hard time."
Severino allowed seven hits and walked two, including one intentionally. The unintentional walk -- to Ian Desmond with two strikes, two outs and the bases loaded -- sparked the Rangers' offense in a fateful third inning.
"He had a hard time throwing his offspeed [pitches] for strikes, so it kind of put him in a tough situation, and they definitely took advantage of that," Girardi said. "He's throwing [offspeed pitches], he's just not throwing strikes with them, and he's not getting a whole lot of swings and misses with them. He's mixing his pitches -- he's just not executing."
Severino allowed singles to Nomar Mazara and Prince Fielder in the first to fall behind, 1-0, then got two outs in the third before things fell apart. He gave up a single to Mazara, a double to Adrian Beltre and intentionally walked Fielder, and then the walk to Desmond forced in a run. Mitch Moreland singled home two runs; Severino then threw a wild pitch that allowed Desmond to score, and he gave up an Elvis Andrus single that plated Moreland.
Right fielder Carlos Beltran's flashy catch ended the inning and the trouble for Severino, who did not return for the fourth, leaving after only 74 pitches.

"It was tough," said Severino, who fell to 0-3 and saw his ERA balloon to 6.86. "I'm thinking too much. I have to throw the ball, that's it. I have a lot of confidence, it's just a tough time. Every pitcher in the big leagues has tough times."
Girardi said that Severino isn't in danger of losing his spot in the rotation at the moment, but he does expect his pitcher to respond to this difficult stretch with resilience.
"I think you continue to evaluate," Girardi said. "The mind is a big part of it, how you're adjusting to it mentally -- are you starting to execute pitches as time goes on? You watch younger players closer than you do veterans that have a track record, just because you don't know how they'll react when they struggle."