Jose Trevino has been pleasant surprise for Yankees, especially on offense

The boyhood Yankees fan from Texas turned Yankees player after being traded from Texas launched the go-ahead, two-run homer into Tropicana Field’s leftfield seats in the eighth inning Wednesday night. It held up in a 5-4 win over Tampa Bay.

Jose Trevino had done something good with his bat again, after doing something good defensively again, picking off a runner at third with the bases loaded and two outs earlier in the game.

Afterward, Aaron Boone was hyping his top catcher to be selected for elite status.

“He should be in the All-Star Game,” the Yankees’ manager said in front of the audience of reporters around him and the audience watching on YES. “He’s playing that well. You can say he should be in the All-Star Game because of his offense and that doesn’t even start on the other side of the ball where he’s as good as it gets.

“Since Day One, he’s been just so impactful in every way.”

Trevino has been running a distant second to Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk in the All-Star fan balloting. But Trevino still could be in the running to be picked as a reserve if he doesn’t make a comeback in the voting.

If it’s a takes-one-to-know-one thing, soon-to-be four-time All-Star Aaron Judge also endorsed the 29-year-old righty-hitting surprise.

“If it happens, it happens,” Trevino told the media soon after Boone’s endorsement. “… That would be really cool. But I want to win a championship. That’s what I’m here for.”

Who saw this coming?

After trading Gary Sanchez, the Yankees were planning to turn their behind-the-plate work over to Kyle Higashioka, with Ben Rortvedt providing support. But they needed another good option who owned a catcher’s mitt when Rortvedt got hurt in March.

So they added Trevino in a trade with Texas on April 2. He was supposed to be a mainly defensive guy. But he began to take off with a bat in his hand in mid-May and moved in front of Higashioka.

When the Yankees opened their four-game series with Houston Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, Trevino opened with a slash line of .283/.339/.478. He was batting .364 over his previous 24 games.

He had six homers in 124 plate appearances across 45 games, with all six coming in the 24-game stretch. He had five in 302 plate appearances across 89 games with Texas last season.

His 2021 slash line stood at .239./.267/.340, with 30 RBIs. He had 21 after Wednesday’s homer.

“So credit to him for just grinding away at this game and getting a little bit better and taking advantage of obviously a really good opportunity,” Boone said.

Nestor Cortes, who will start Sunday’s series finale, gave Trevino a four-star review in the clubhouse before this opener, praising his ability and attitude.

“I think what sets him apart is his character when he comes here every day, how happy he is to be here and how accepting he is whenever you go approach him,” Cortes told Newsday. “I think he knows what’s at stake playing for the New York Yankees.

“I don’t see how Texas was able to get rid of him so quick and easy. But as far as what we’ve seen here, it’s been incredible. I think he exemplifies a true baseball player, which is they come here every day, work, try and get better, and if not, you make those around you better. I think he does a really good job of that.”