Old clip of Austin Wells' playoff failure vs Blue Jays surfaces as Yankees fans rage

Austin Wells played a large, negative role in the New York Yankees' worst loss of the season on Sunday at Citi Field against the New York Mets. In the bottom of the ninth, with a three-run lead, Wells decided to request a first-pitch curveball from David Bednar as the Yankees' closer faced struggling Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor, who proceeded to destroy the offering for a game-tying, three-run homer.

Both Bednar and Wells were under fire for the pitch, but it was ultimately Wells who initiated the terrible decision, and thus Wells who looks the more foolish of the two. Bednar's worst pitch is his curveball. There was every reason to attack the ice-cold Taylor (.188 this season) with gas and force him to beat you, and there was absolutely no reason to give Taylor the only pitch that he might have a chance to barrel (he literally admitted after the game that he was sitting on the curve). Wells messed up big time, and Yankees fans have just about had enough.

Not to mention, Wells (twice) swung at the first pitch against struggling Mets relievers to kill Yankees rallies — once against Sean Manaea and the other vs Devin Williams.

With these same fans rage-venting about Wells post-game, it's no surprise that another bone-headed Wells decision from last year's ALDS entered the conversation on Sunday night, with footage of his awful first-pitch swing decision against the Toronto Blue Jays resurfacing. Good timing, with the Jays in town for a four-game set.

With the bases chucked, and with two outs in the bottom of the eighth of a win-or-die game for the Yankees, Wells decided to swing at the first pitch from Jeff Hoffman. The thoughtless swing resulted in a weak flyout to left that effectively ended the Yankees' season.

Austin Wells'swing decision from 2025 ALDS has caused a stir all over again with Yankees fans

It wasn't just that Hoffman's first pitch to Wells was above the strike zone; it's that Hoffman had walked the previous batter. To repeat a phrase from earlier, there was absolutely no reason for Wells, a career .218 hitter, to swing at the first offering from Hoffman, rather than take until a strike is thrown.

Wells has been honest and forthcoming about his struggles, but it doesn't really matter. Yankees fans would prefer that he lie to the press and produce. A memorable showing at the World Baseball Classic for Wells had Yankees fans optimistic that 2026 would be the season that he finally broke through, but it's been the opposite so far for the 26-year-old backstop. Wells is hitting .165 this season in 115 at-bats, and he's hitting .067 in his last seven games for the Yanks.

Pretty soon, Aaron Boone (and Brian Cashman, for that matter) will have no choice but to re-assess Wells as a guy they can't count on. Yankees fans have been ahead of the curve on that one for some time.

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