bleacherreport
Following the New York Yankees' narrow 1-0 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, catcher Austin Wells spoke to reporters about a critical base-running mistake he made in the late innings.
Wells attempted to stretch a double into a triple with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, but was easily thrown out at third base. At the time, the Yankees were trailing 1-0 and had not yet recorded a hit through seven innings. Third base coach Luis Rojas was trying to hold Wells at second, but Wells explained that he didn't initially see Rojas.
"I thought it kicked off more than it did, he made a good play on the ball," Wells said. "Two outs there, trying to make something happen, be aggressive with not much going on in the game. Obviously, love to be safe there or standing on second base."
He continued, "Saw his hands up, I was already committed. Made two good throws and got me."
Wells also recognized the high stakes of his decision. "As you can see, that wins and loses games," he said. "You have to take risks. But in that situation, obviously the risk was wrong. I can't tell you if I'd go again because the situation would be different. I took the risk, didn't work out. I think I needed to try to make something happen there, obviously it didn't work out."
The gamble was particularly bold given Wells' lack of foot speed; according to Statcast, his average sprint speed of 26.0 feet per second ranks fifth-worst among all Yankees players this season. Additionally, New York had been hitting .450 with runners in scoring position during the AL Wild Card round, suggesting that keeping Wells at second might have given the team a chance to drive him in.
Instead, the Yankees now find themselves in a 1-0 series hole against the Rays.
Key Analysis
Wells' aggressive attempt to advance an extra base in a low-scoring game reflects the fine line between momentum-shifting plays and costly errors. With the Yankees struggling to generate offense against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen, Wells felt compelled to force the issue. However, the decision backfired, and New York must now regroup to avoid falling further behind in the series.
Originally reported by bleacherreport.