After Jose Trevino was placed on the injured list due to a quad strain on July 13, both he and Austin Wells had an equal share of playing time, each starting 48 games.
Since then, Wells’ performance has significantly improved, making it unlikely for the Yankees to revert to a 50-50 split when Trevino is ready to return from the injured list, possibly as early as next week.
“I think considering how Austin has performed over the past month or six weeks, he’ll likely get a substantial amount of playing time,” manager Aaron Boone mentioned Thursday before the Yankees’ series finale against the Angels ended in a 9-4 defeat. “That said, I do expect Trevy will still see quite a bit of action.”
Austin Wells has become an essential part of the Yankees’ offense. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“As we move into mid-August and I have relied heavily on Austin lately, I want to ensure he stays sharp and fresh as we approach the end of the season and hopefully beyond.”
“So while Trevy will receive some playing time, Austin certainly deserves more opportunities.”
Before Thursday’s game in which he went 1-for-4, Wells had successfully reached base multiple times in 10 out of his last 12 starts. During that stretch—coinciding with his everyday role during Trevino’s absence—he batted .380 with an impressive OPS of 1.030 (Carlos Narvaez has started only three out of 19 games since filling Trevino’s spot).
New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino participates in batting practice at Yankee Stadium on July 23, 2024. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
The left-handed hitter also assumed cleanup responsibilities for most games but batted fifth on Thursday with Giancarlo Stanton hitting fourth against lefty Tyler Anderson.
Evidently showing good form even prior to Trevino’s injury; Wells recorded a .306 average with .939 OPS across his last 31 starts since June 6.
However, Boone suggested that using Wells as designated hitter whenever Trevino catches is unlikely.
This decision primarily stems from Boone’s preference to rotate Aaron Judge into DH whenever Stanton does not take that role—providing Judge relief from center field duties.
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells connects on an RBI single against the Los Angeles Angels during Wednesday night’s game at Yankee Stadium. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Trevino made progress by running bases Thursday and is set to start a rehab assignment around Sunday or Tuesday since minor league teams will be off Monday.
D.J. LeMahieu appears ready to show that his recent strong performances are not merely fleeting successes.
The seasoned infielder struggled for most of this season but managed one hit in four at-bats recently and now boasts a batting line of .375 (6-for-16) over his last four starts—which includes two doubles, one home run,a nd nine RBIs—after missing five consecutive games prior.
