Austin Wells bat shows more signs of life with Yankees role now set after trade deadline

Following weeks — or months — of uncertainty, the Yankees finally landed on their starting catcher the rest of the season.It’s Austin Wells.It was no secret the Yankees wanted to acquire a right-handed-hitting catcher by Monday’s trade deadline.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

With Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers seemingly off the market and Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman going to Boston, the Yankees were left with the same setup they had going into the deadline: Wells and Ali Sánchez splitting time behind the plate the rest of the way.General manager Brian Cashman said the “limited opportunity” to trade for a catcher helped lead to the Yankees staying put.He acknowledged again the team has struggled offensively for much of the season — especially at catcher.

But he also added the team has been encouraged by Wells’ improved results over the past month.“I think Austin has got his offense going the past month,” Cashman said.“It’s a much more successful version and much closer version to what he’s capable of.

I hope he’s trending in the right direction.”Then Wells went out and had a pair of hits — including a two-run homer — in the Yankees’ 13-7 loss to the Cardinals.Wells said he was unaffected by the vote of confidence the Yankees showed in him, saying his approach to his game would be “the same either way.I have no control on that [trade situation].”Cashman praised Wells’ defense and handling of the pitching staff.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! In his past 16 games, Wells has an OPS of .973, with four homers.Prior to that stretch, the lefty-hitting Wells had a paltry .468 OPS in his ...