Yankees activate Austin Wells from injured list after 2-week absence

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees activated Austin Wells from the 10-day injured list Sunday after the catcher missed two weeks because of cervical headaches.

Wells missed 12 games and had three minor league rehab games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He went 2 for 12 in those game but also spent time working on some things with coaches.

Wells is hitting .166 with four homers and seven RBIs in 47 games in his third full season as New York’s starting catcher and said he was feeling pressure at the top of his head and headaches. Before going on the injured list June 7, Wells was hitless in his last 13 at-bats and 1 for his last 18.

“Hopefully it’s a good reset and can get him into a good place because obviously when he’s right offensively he can really be an important contributor for us, especially have a presence at the bottom of the lineup,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees concluded a three-game series with Cincinnati. “So we need to get him there and hopefully this is something that will help him kind of get settled.”

Wells took a backswing off the mask from Toronto’s Jesús Sánchez on May 19, but it was unclear if that caused his injury.

Wells debuted with the Yankees Sept. 1, 2023, and the former first-round pick hit .224 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs in his first two seasons.

The Yankees opted to keep right-handed hitting Ali Sanchez as Wells’ backup and sent JC Escarra to Triple-A following Saturday’s 10-2 loss. Escarra may return to the Yankees shortly since Boone said Sanchez is close to going on the paternity list.

Escarra is hitting .188 in 32 games while Sanchez is 5 for 16 in eight games.

Gerrit Cole, whose start was moved back a day to give New York’s rotation an extra day of rest, said he feels good physically and will start Monday in Detroit.

Cole is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in five starts since returning from elbow ligament reconstruction surgery on May 22 against Tampa Bay. Cole missed 569 days before returning and threw a season-high 90 pitches Tuesday when he allowed two runs and three hits in six innings during a 12-2 win over the White Sox.

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