The New York Yankees are off to a scorching hot start to the regular season, but one of the team’s top sluggers is struggling after a career year in 2025.
New York’s pitching staff has been historically good so far this season, which has been needed with the team struggling at the plate. The Yankees’ offense was the best in all of baseball last season, leading the league in home runs and runs scored, but has cooled off this season, ranking closer to league-average in most offensive categories.
One player who has regressed this season is 26-year-old catcher Austin Wells. The young slugger set career highs with 21 home runs and 71 RBIs last season, but is only slashing .185/.313/.222 this year with a single extra-base hit in nine games played.
While appearing on the “Pinstripe Post” podcast on Monday, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman commented on how he is quickly losing faith in Wells amid his slump.
“Wells is the issue for me,” Sherman said. “I made this point about (Ben) Rice and Wells in the past, and Rice has turned out to be good. When you make good swing decisions, you generally end up being a good offensive player. The earliest versions of Wells were really good swing decisions into well-hit balls when he hit them. That has felt like it’s backed up a little bit. He hit so great in the WBC — I thought, well, maybe he’s ready for the full breakout.
“For someone who I would’ve bought stock that the offense will come, I’ve lost a little faith that the offense will come. I’m not completely off of that ship because I still think there’s an offensive player in him. I’m starting a little bit to lose faith. And again, that will be the thing where you have to make the decision — does he become a guy you pinch hit for late?”
It’s only April, giving Wells plenty of time to return to form. The 26-year-old is the best catcher on the Yankees’ roster, but he needs to step up offensively as pressure mounts.