Aaron Boone has been forced to make critical decisions to help the New York Yankees overcome a crisis that could leave the franchise out of the postseason. One notable move was the inclusion of Ben Rice in place of Austin Wells, who has underperformed relative to the team’s needs.
Austin Wells to the bench, and the numbers back it up
The team’s starting catcher, Austin Wells, has struggled significantly at the plate, and for Boone, it seems that being a solid catcher behind the plate isn’t enough. The manager’s decision to bench him, at least recently, makes sense.
Although the Yankees claim that their offense “is the least of their worries,” it’s notable that Wells didn’t play in the first two games against Minnesota, a decision driven in part by his low production.
“He’s been struggling a bit, obviously, offensively. A part of it is I want to keep Ben [Rice] in there, and I think Ben has done a really good job behind the plate, too,” Boone stated. “There’s that. That also allows [Paul] Goldschmidt to be in the lineup. It’s just trying to get the best grouping out there day in and day out to give us a chance to win a game.”
Austin Wells has the worst batting average (.085) among players who have faced at least 200 sliders this season, and it was almost a given that pitchers would adjust their approach against him. Since July, the first pitch he sees is most often a slider, and his numbers have plummeted. Wells has posted a dismal .118/.179/.196 over his last 15 games.
In early July, Wells suffered an unusual circulation issue in his index finger, later diagnosed as arterial damage. Reports noted that the finger “gets cold and changes color,” though blood clots were ruled out. The catcher returned to action quickly, missing only four games.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Wells is likely to take on a reduced role as the Yankees aim to climb out of third place in the American League East. Despite this, he remains a solid defender, and his work behind the plate could prove crucial in addressing the defensive issues that have plagued the team during their recent skid.
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