Despite his offensive struggles, Yankees outfielder Austin Wells stated that he feels more comfortable at the plate than he has since returning from the injured list. The Yankees drafted Wells in the first round, largely due to his powerful left-handed bat, but his current performance has raised concerns about his viability in the lineup.
Wells is currently hitting .160 after going hitless in his last outing, a 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. "Today was the best and most comfortable I felt in the box so far," Wells said, referencing his post-injury games. He has been working to reincorporate more "tilt" into his swing, a change aimed at reducing his reliance on perfect contact for a hit.
However, Wells emphasized that his primary focus remains his defensive contributions. "My No. 1 job is to control the pitching staff," he stated. "If we’re not doing that, it doesn’t matter how many runs or hits I have. We can’t win the game."
He has reportedly impressed pitchers and coaches with his ability to call games and frame pitches. "I know I have a huge impact when I’m behind the plate and keeping that the No. 1 focus makes it a lot easier to brush off an at-bat or couple of at-bats," Wells said. "If I’m 0-for-3 on a day, obviously I’m pissed off about it, but to go out there and get to the eighth or ninth with a zero [from the other team] is the goal."
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that Wells has experienced frustration with his hitting but believes he is trending in the right direction. "I feel he’s moving the needle right now, believe it or not," Boone said. "He was really struggling there for a while. I feel he’s gaining traction. The results aren’t there yet."
Some within the Yankees organization suggest that the significant amount of information Wells and other catchers are tasked with managing may be impacting his offensive performance. Despite the league's trend towards emphasizing defense at the catcher position, the Yankees need more offensive production from Wells, who has been 2-for-17 since his return from the IL. His OPS of .510 is his lowest since mid-April, a concern given the struggles of other hitters on the team.