Austin Wells’ Struggles Come to an End

The dry spell for Austin Wells has finally finished. He managed to break a frustrating stretch of 50 consecutive at-bats without a hit, but it didn’t quite lead to a win. The Yankees fell to the Rays, 4-2, partly due to another late-game bullpen collapse.

The home run Wells hit to right-center field marked his sixth hit this May and, notably, his first RBI for the month. He has seen reduced playing time because of fellow left-handed catcher JC Escala. The supportive reactions from his teammates in the dugout suggested they were rallying behind their struggling catcher.

Gerrit Cole, in his first start since October 30, 2024, expressed his support, saying, “Austin is always working hard for us behind the plate. The effort and preparation are clear. It’s easy to root for him as a teammate. Plus, his positivity is infectious.” He seemed genuinely pleased with Wells’ success at the plate.

Wells set himself up to succeed by seeing a number of pitches in his initial at-bat, which he felt helped stage his home run. “I saw quite a few pitches. I just took a swing at one that was right in the sweet spot,” he reflected.

This game marked a positive shift for Wells, who hadn’t struck out in at least three at-bats previously this month. His overall stats reflected some struggles—33 percent whiff rate and a double rate of 21 percent, according to Baseball Savant.

Earlier this week, Wells described his performance, “I can’t quite put into words how poorly I’ve played,” although he managed to keep a positive front. The fans, who had booed him previously, might have had a few choice words to describe his recent slump.

Yet, when he capped off his home run run with celebratory high-fives and bear hugs, the crowd’s cheers filled the stadium, celebrating the brief lead. How relieved was he? That was the moment that surely mattered most.

“Nothing,” Wells replied candidly about his feelings, pointing out that there’s still plenty to improve on. His batting average hovers at .169, with four home runs and six RBIs over 118 at-bats. He had some notable moments during this game, including fouling off a couple of pitches before eventually walking on eight pitches in the ninth inning that allowed the tying run to come in.

Manager Aaron Boone seemed optimistic when speaking about Wells, saying, “He had some good at-bats. It was encouraging to see that.” For Cole, he saw Wells’ game plan as a reason he himself managed to get through six scoreless innings effectively, marking a solid return from Tommy John surgery.