NEW YORK — As the New York Yankees prepare for a high-stakes Subway Series against the crosstown Mets, manager Aaron Boone has delivered a pointed message to starting catcher Austin Wells: more production is expected, and the time to deliver is now.
Wells, who emerged as a significant offensive contributor last season, has endured a difficult start to 2026. Through 100 at-bats, the 26-year-old is hitting just .180 with three home runs and five RBIs. While his walk rate has shown modest improvement, Boone made it clear after recent games that the club sees greater potential in his bat.
“I expect there to be more in there,” Boone said. “I feel like he’s capable of more. It’s been a little bit of a struggle. I feel like he’s had, for the most part, some pretty steady at-bats against right-handed pitching. I like the fact that he is walking a little bit, but he’s capable of more.”
The contrast with Wells’ 2025 breakout season is stark. Last year, he slashed .219 with 21 home runs and 71 RBIs, providing the Yankees with legitimate pop from the catcher position. This season, that power has largely remained dormant, leaving the lineup searching for production from behind the plate.
Adding to the concern is the performance of backup catcher J.C. Escarra, who has hit .182 with just six RBIs and eight hits in 44 at-bats. With both catchers scuffling offensively, the Yankees are eager for Wells to rediscover the swing that made him an impact player just one year ago.
Defensive Gains Offer Silver Lining
Despite the offensive woes, Wells has made notable strides behind the plate — an area he targeted for improvement entering the season. The young catcher acknowledged his past limitations but expressed confidence in his development.
“I knew I wasn’t good, per se, but I knew that the work that I was doing was going to end up where I needed to be,” Wells said. “And that I’d continue to do that work to get where I wanted to be in the end. I think the more experience that I’ve gotten, and the easier that it comes, the more that I realize that what I was doing before isn’t even close to the level that I am now.”
Boone and the coaching staff have taken notice of those defensive improvements, which have helped stabilize the pitching staff. However, in today’s game, catchers are increasingly asked to contribute on both sides of the ball. For Wells to cement himself as the everyday starter, his offensive output must rise to match his defensive progress.
Subway Series Provides Opportunity for Response
The Yankees (27-17) head into the three-game set at Citi Field sitting in second place in the AL East. After a disappointing recent road trip, captain Aaron Judge emphasized the importance of bouncing back quickly.
“It’s a tough road trip,” Judge said. “You’re gonna have two or three of those during the year. It’s about how you respond. Nothing we can do about it now.”
Judge also addressed the Mets’ early-season struggles, pushing back against any premature judgments of their crosstown rivals.
“I really don’t understand it,” Judge said of the Mets’ slow start. “They’ve got a great manager with (Carlos Mendoza) over there. They’ve got a great lineup, a great pitching staff. It’s baseball. … You can’t really judge a team off of six weeks of the season. If you did that, you could take six weeks that we’re struggling and say we’re the worst team out there. They’ve got a good ball club over there.”
With the Subway Series igniting rivalry passions, the spotlight will be on Wells. A strong showing against the Mets could help spark his bat and silence early concerns, while continued struggles may prompt the Yankees to explore other options behind the plate.
