To say it had been a year to remember for Yankees catcher Jose Trevino would be an understatement even before Tuesday’s American League Division Series opener in the Bronx, but getting to make his playoff debut in Yankee Stadium is just another note in a wild season.
Trevino had come to New York and had a breakout year that saw him appear in his first MLB All-Star Game, finish the year slashing .248/.283/.388 and becoming a fan favorite among the Bronx faithful. Now he gets to soak in the excitement and atmosphere of a playoff game in New York.
It was safe to say that Trevino had been plenty excited to get the opportunity.
“Definitely excited. Excited to be a New York Yankee,” Trevino said ahead of the game. “Excited to play playoff baseball in New York. I hear there’s nothing like it. I’m excited for it. I mean, I watched it on TV plenty of times, and I think I’m just going to take in the moment. Been working really hard all year for a really long time, and I think you can’t predict anything with baseball.
“I say that all the time. But you can be prepared; you can be ready. And that’s what I’m going to be.”
Trevino has been as solid a player as the Yankees could have asked for since his arrival. His play behind the plate came as advertised and his offense came up in the clutch throughout the season.
By the end of June, Trevino had been batting .317 with runners in scoring position, which at the time had been behind only Aaron Judge.
Trevino, who has been in the majors for the past five years, has appeared in plenty of big games, but the playoffs at Yankee Stadium will be a different beast. The atmosphere in the Bronx is expected to be electric for both guaranteed playoff games in the Big Apple.
In the days leading up to Game 1, Trevino said that he has leaned on those around him on what to expect while on the biggest stage of his career to date.
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“I talked to a few guys, I won’t mention their names, but they have given their advice to it,” Trevino explained. “I mean, I don’t know if you’ll like this, but I talked to Michael Young yesterday. Me and Michael Young built a good relationship in Texas. Was able to talk to him. The most part of what people are saying, is like you’ve been preparing so much more this moment, and it’s here, you know, and the way I go about my business, I prepare every game like we’re going to win.
“So on top of that, it’s like, it’s nothing different. We are going out there to win. We are going out there to compete. We are going to play hard and we want to have fun while we’re doing it.”
