Austin Wells set for Yankees return and his former teammate knows how valuable that is

Austin Wells is expected to be back with the Yankees on Sunday after being sidelined for the past two weeks with cervical headaches. Aaron Boone said Saturday that Wells would “likely” be in the lineup in The Bronx for their series finale against the Reds after appearing in three minor league rehab games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.After the Yankees lost 10-2 to Cincinnati on Saturday with Ali Sánchez behind the plate, the Yankees optioned J.C.

Escarra to SWB — leaving the righty-swinging Sánchez on the roster for now. Just getting Wells back, though, doesn’t necessarily solve the Yankees’ season-long issues behind the plate. Even when healthy, Wells has slumped badly offensively. Of the 241 players with at least 160 plate appearances entering Saturday, only three had a lower OPS than Wells’ .533. He has been working on his approach while with SWB and the Yankees are hoping for improved results.But Wells’ former teammate, Jose Trevino, said even when he’s not hitting, Wells is vital to the Yankees’ success. “I had a conversation with him in ’24 toward the beginning of the season about the value of him and his presence,” said Trevino, now with the Reds. “He’s gonna be there,” Trevino said.“He’s gonna bounce back.

I have no doubt.He’s gonna hit a homer, make a defensive play or call a good game.” That presence, Trevino said, has played a significant role in how well the Yankees have pitched as a whole.  Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+.

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Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! “Look at what their starters are doing, the staff,” Trevino said.“At the beginning of the year...