Since returning from the injured list, the Yankees have featured José Trevino in three of the team’s last four games. Despite Austin Wells dominating over the past few months, manager Aaron Boone is trying to capitalize on matchups against left-handed pitching, in which Wells has supposedly lower numbers.
Yankees’ Catcher Conundrum: Trevino vs. Wells
However, when breaking down the comparable statistics, Wells is actually better against lefties than Trevino, who, while boasting superior defensive metrics, lacks the offensive burst the team desperately needs.
This season, Trevino has played 62 games, hitting .243/.304/.410, with eight homers and 27 RBIs, posting a 101 wRC+. He is slightly above average as an offensive piece but is only hitting .208 against lefties over 72 at-bats, with 15 hits, four homers, and 11 RBIs. On the other hand, Wells has had 40 at-bats against lefties, hitting .225 with nine hits and four RBIs.
The notion that Trevino is significantly better than Wells against lefties is overblown and factually incorrect. Both samples are small enough to leave room for error, but Wells is the hot hand, and the Yankees should keep him in the lineup.
Boone’s Strategy: Wells vs. Right-Handed Pitching
On Tuesday, Boone discussed the usage of both players, indicating that Wells will play against right-handed pitching, but there’s a strong argument that he should be their everyday catcher, regardless of who’s on the mound.
“I’ve talked to Trevy and Austin about this. It’s like, Trevy’s really good and really holds his own at the plate and gives us something against the left-handed pitchers. So it could work out that way, to where Trevy sees the lefties and Austin sees the righties. In a given week, that means one guy is playing a lot. Over the bulk of it, I see Wells playing more because typically you’re going to face more right-handed pitchers.”
Wells: A Rookie of the Year Contender
Wells is having a season worthy of Rookie of the Year consideration. The 25-year-old is hitting .252/.343/.417, with nine homers and 36 RBIs while posting a 20.1% strikeout rate, a 12.1% walk rate, and a 116 wRC+. He’s a 2.9 WAR player as a rookie who has only played 85 games, giving him substantial value.
Defensive Metrics: Wells vs. Trevino
Not to mention, Wells’s defensive metrics are also above average despite not being as impressive as Trevino’s in that regard. Specifically, Wells ranks in the 95th percentile in framing and the 66th percentile in blocks above average. He’s collected eight catcher-framing runs, ranking 6th in baseball, just one behind Trevino. Additionally, he has a 49.5% strike rate, ranking 10th.
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The Case for Wells as the Yankees’ Everyday Catcher
In a typical scenario, having a right-handed batter face off against lefties makes complete sense, but Wells has shown quality plate discipline this year and actually has better numbers against lefties than Trevino. Despite this, Boone continues to lead the Yankees down a path that doesn’t make much sense mathematically.