Austin Wells’ Postseason Journey With the Yankees

Austin Wells’ baserunning mistake in Game 1 of the ALDS has certainly overshadowed many of his other contributions this postseason as of Wednesday.

That said, the Yankees catcher managed to show the potential the team had hoped for, especially after a tough regular season.

As the team approached Game 3, with their season hanging in the balance, Wells recorded a solid 5-for-12 with two doubles, four RBIs, and two sacrifice flies over four playoff games. This performance prompted a lineup adjustment from manager Aaron Boone, who moved Wells up to bat sixth, marking only the second time he had hit that high this season.

Unfortunately, the change didn’t yield positive results; Wells went 0-for-3 before being replaced by pinch hitter Giancarlo Stanton in the eighth inning, with a runner on base and two outs. Stanton ended up striking out, leading the Yankees to a 4-3 defeat that ended their season.

Throughout the season, Wells had consistently occupied the lower portion of the batting order, typically batting eighth or ninth in his previous playoff appearances.

Despite the mixed results, he had been exhibiting the kind of determined at-bats that many knew he was capable of, something not always visible during a regular season in which he struggled, finishing with a .186 average and a .624 OPS, though he did perform better in the latter half.

Regardless of the ups and downs offensively, Wells has continued to effectively manage his pitching staff, gaining their respect in the process.

“I think when baseball players talk about pros’ pros and guys really handling their business, there is a lot of respect inside the room for how Austin has gone about it,” Gerrit Cole commented before the series. “He’s really continued to get better throughout the regular season.”

Additionally, Boone decided to move Spencer Jones, who had been the cleanup hitter in the previous three playoff games, down to the eighth spot in the order, marking his lowest position against a right-hander since May 19.

Jones, entering Game 3 with a postseason batting line of 2-for-15, managed a strong performance, going 1-for-2 with an RBI double, two walks, and a run scored.

Just before Game 3, several Yankees engaged in some bunting practice against a pitching machine—a sporadic activity they have participated in this year. This practice came as they had only managed two runs in the first two games of the ALDS, both of which were solo homers by Ben Rice.