SEATTLE — Perhaps it is just a blip, a small sample size not to be given too much weight. But Luis Severino, who pitched himself into the Yankees rotation in spring training and onto the American League All-Star team by early July, looks as if he has taken another leap forward.

For the second consecutive start, Severino was pitted against a former Cy Young Award winner in peak form, and it was hard to tell who owned the hardware and who did not.

Just as he did in his previous start against Boston ace Chris Sale at Fenway Park, Severino stood toe to toe with King Felix Hernandez on Thursday, pitching seven shutout innings in the Yankees’ 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Brett Gardner spoiled an outstanding performance by Hernandez with a solo homer with one out in the sixth before the Yankees pushed across an unearned run in the eighth and two more unearned runs in the ninth.