Severino rues not facing old team: Yankees 'only have 2 good hitters'

New York Mets right-hander Luis Severino is disappointed he won't get a chance to pitch against his former New York Yankees teammates during next week's series in the Bronx.

Severino will start Sunday's game against the Miami Marlins. The 30-year-old didn't start when the Yankees visited Citi Field for a two-game set in June.

"They talked shit about me when I (didn't face) the Yankees (last month)," Severino said Friday, per Newsday's Tim Healey, recounting some banter in a group chat with some Yankees. "'Oh, you're afraid of us.' I said, 'I'm not afraid. Right now, you only have two good hitters.'"

Severino joined the Mets on a one-year, $13-million contract in the offseason after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Yankees.

The veteran has provided a boost to the Mets' rotation, posting a 6-3 record with a 3.78 ERA across 18 starts this season.