From Mlb · · 1m 20s
Yankees' Austin Wells Heat Up in October
Austin Wells' bat heats up as Yankees prepare for ALDS.
In brief
Austin Wells' bat heats up as Yankees prepare for ALDS. Austin Wells' offensive surge and defensive excellence make him a key October spark for the Yankees. Originally reported by Mlb.
Yankees face platoon dilemma
Before the Yankees swept the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Series, manager Aaron Boone faced a platoon dilemma with left-handed pitching.
Wells' lefty bat heats up
Austin Wells posted a .436 OPS against lefties in 99 plate appearances, a stark contrast to his career .188/.254/.324 slash against left-handers.
Boone's platoon strategy
Manager Aaron Boone protected lefties Luis García Jr., Ryan McMahon, Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. from same-side pitching in the regular season.
Wells' postseason impact
Wells drove a 102.2 mph RBI single off Payton Tolle's 92.5 mph sinker in Game 1, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Wells' injury recovery
Wells returned from a June 6 cervical injury to hit .166 with four homers and seven RBIs before his second half surge with a 124 wRC+.
Wells' swing improvements
Wells improved his barrel rate from 6.9% to 8.3% post-injury, hitting 10 of 14 home runs after returning from the injured list.
Wells' defensive excellence
Wells ranks sixth in overturns vs. expected with a 63% success rate, becoming a key defensive asset for the Yankees' postseason run.
The main idea
Austin Wells' offensive surge and defensive excellence make him a key October spark for the Yankees.
