The New York Yankees fell 6-4 to the Athletics on Saturday night in West Sacramento, snapping a winning streak and leaving the offense with plenty of questions heading into Sunday’s series finale.
One of those questions has been building for weeks. Austin Wells has struggled at the plate this season, and the numbers have not been kind. His average sits at .180 with an OPS of .568.
Manager Aaron Boone has been watching closely. After Saturday’s game, he offered his diagnosis.
Yankees’ Boone Identifies What Is Holding Wells Back
GettyYankees manager makes feelings clear on Austin Wells.
Boone believes the issue is mechanical and rooted in Wells’ approach at the plate. The Yankees manager thinks his catcher has been so focused on going the other way that it has thrown off his timing.
“I feel like he’s making a conscious effort to go the other way so much,” Boone said. “When that happens, sometimes you end up waiting, and you don’t get started, you don’t make your move.”
That is the concern. It is not just about the results. It is about the process leading to them. Boone described a hitter who has become too passive, too focused on waiting on pitches rather than trusting his natural swing.
“Everyone’s a little bit different in how they load and things like that,” Boone said. “But sometimes you can get stuck and it’s just, ‘Go.’ So I don’t feel like he’s been as accurate as he should be on some pitches.”
Boone sat Wells on Friday, with J.C. Escarra picking up playing time behind the plate. The hope was that a double day off following Thursday’s team rest day could serve as a mental and physical reset for the 26-year-old.
Boone remains confident the fix is there if Wells can get his timing back.
“From my eye, and sometimes it gets easier from the side or whatever, I feel like it’s as simple as that,” Boone said. “I feel like if he gets started and gets on time, he’s got the ability to be impactful. That’s my expectation and hopefully he can string some at-bats together where he starts to feel that and he can take off.”
What the Numbers Show
The underlying metrics tell a concerning story. Early in the season, Wells was making hard contact and drawing walks at a reasonable clip. Both of those areas have declined as May has worn on. It is not a case of bad luck masking good process. The quality of his at-bats has genuinely slipped.
Through 43 games, Wells is hitting .180 with a .568 OPS. Boone remains confident the talent is there. He has seen what Wells can do when he is right, and he believes getting his timing back is the key to unlocking it.
Final Word for the Yankees
Wells has shown enough in his career to suggest this stretch is not who he is as a hitter. Boone clearly believes that too.
The fix, according to the manager, is straightforward in theory. Get started earlier. Trust the swing. Stop waiting.
The Yankees have a Cleveland Guardians series coming up at home next week. Wells will need to find his timing sooner rather than later.
Boone believes the answers are there. Wells just has to find them.
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