KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Most of Austin Wells’ teammates had been already lengthy gone when he walked again into the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium late Tuesday night time, his shoulder wrapped in ice.
The Yankees catcher has a protracted postgame remedy routine he goes by means of on most nights, not as a result of he’s essentially coping with an harm, however as a result of that is what it takes to get by means of the grind of being behind the plate for 9 innings most nights after which making an attempt so as to add some offense on high of it.
It’s a demanding place, particularly for the Yankees, who put a premium on their catchers with the ability to sport plan and body pitches to assist steal strikes. It’s consuming, too, to the purpose the place typically it throws Wells for a loop when it’s his flip to step as much as the plate as a substitute of behind it.
“I feel being ready for every at-bat is a little bit bit harder,” he mentioned. “As a result of there’s a few at-bats not even in the course of the week, however in the course of the sport typically, the place I’ve to focus a little bit additional exhausting earlier than happening deck and even in the midst of the at-bat and be like, ‘What am I making an attempt to do right here?’ Simply because I’m desirous about what pitches we’re throwing, we’ve thrown to the fellows coming as much as the plate the subsequent inning or what reliever’s coming in and what I need to do to get forward.
“So positively looking for a spot the place I can separate that a little bit bit higher and I feel that’ll assist me going ahead. However I’ve been engaged on it a little bit bit extra the final couple weeks, so I really feel like I’ve been doing a little bit bit higher than that.”
The outcomes would point out that. After going 1-for-4 with an RBI double within the Yankees’ 6-3 win over the Royals on Wednesday, Wells is batting .311 (14-for-45) with a .973 OPS over his previous 13 video games.
That included a standout night time in Tuesday’s 10-2 win over Kansas Metropolis, by which two of Wells’ at-bats mixed for 19 pitches and 5 RBIs — a three-run homer in a nine-pitch at-bat in opposition to lefty Noah Cameron and a two-run double in a 10-pitch at-bat in opposition to righty Taylor Clarke.
“It’s exhausting, particularly [because] he catches lots of video games and he’s again there,” Max Fried mentioned. “I can’t think about how tiring that’s sport in, sport out, however he places collectively actually good high quality at-bats each sport. Particularly [Tuesday], hitting within the 9 gap, that’s a giant energy menace there.”
Wells isn’t totally positive what to make of his offensive season up to now. He entered Thursday batting .228 with a .293 on-base share and .769 OPS, however with 11 dwelling runs and 42 RBIs. If he stays wholesome all season, it places him on tempo for 27 dwelling runs and 103 RBIs.
“But it surely doesn’t actually really feel like that with the way it’s going,” Wells mentioned. “Yeah, it’s fascinating.
“I imply, I’d prefer to see some extra balls fall and discover some grass. I’m not happy with the place I’m at, however we’re profitable and that’s good. I’d prefer to contribute extra.”
The Yankees would definitely take that, particularly after seeing what a hot-hitting Wells can do for his or her lineup like he did for a stretch final summer season. He desires to be on base extra and be extra constant.
However it’s exhausting to take problem with the general impression he has made up to now — rating fifth within the majors in Catcher Framing Runs and constantly being lauded by his pitchers for his work with them whereas bolstering the Yankees’ run manufacturing with an opportunity to be their first catcher to succeed in 100 RBIs in a season since Jorge Posada in 2003.
“I feel he can actually hit,” supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned. “If that reveals up in common, [if] it reveals up in some energy and on-base, I feel he’s going to be a productive main league hitter, particularly when you think about it’s on the catcher place. He’s able to loads offensively. I nonetheless assume he’s simply tapping into a few of his stuff and nonetheless gaining expertise, however he’s a proficient offensive participant.”
