By admin 
With the New York Yankees down a run against the Philadelphia Phillies, Austin Wells was up at the plate. The struggling catcher has been an easy out for the New York Yankees for most of the year, but down a run, he played hero early. Wells hit an opposite-field shot that found its way into the seats at Citizens Bank Park, tying the game.
Read more Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Suffers Setback, Won’t Pitch for Foreseeable Future
Wells ambushed Brian Keller’s first pitch, sending his low-90s sinker 430 feet. It came off Wells’ bat at 105.7 MPH, falling just shy of landing in the second deck. The burrito power may be back.
AUSTIN WELLS HOMERS IN HIS FIRST AT BAT SINCE DROPPING HIS FIRST BURRITO REVIEW OF THE YEAR https://t.co/DOt3pNYdpxpic.twitter.com/DO8j4kBmus
– Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 25, 2026
This wasn’t Wells’ first homer recently, either. In his last 29 plate appearances, Wells has hit three long balls. During that span, he is hitting .304/.448/.695, and even his walks are ticking up. Wells has an 11.9% walk rate on the year. During this run of games, he’s walking at a 17.2% clip.
This is the version of Wells the Yankees have been waiting for all year. Something seems to have changed, especially if now he’s hitting the ball to all fields. Just this week against the Pirates, he hit a single the other way, against another Keller. That was Mitch Keller that time around.
The future at catcher
With the Yankees in need of a catcher, a tiny sample size of 29 games may not completely alter their plans, but they may think twice about what they’re willing to give up as they look to improve their roster at the August 4th trade deadline. It doesn’t seem like they would totally abandon whomever they had their sights set on, but if Wells is showing signs of life, they could acquire a catcher who has little chance of usurping him down the line.
Read more Report: A’s C Shea Langeliers (knee) could miss rest of season
If the Yankees do acquire Ryan Jeffers, he’s a free agent after this year. With him on the roster, they can still give Wells at-bats and see if he finishes the season strong in the opportunities that Aaron Boone gives him. If that happens, they can let Jeffers walk at the end of the season. It’s no harm, no foul. If it’s the other way around, and this run is just a fluke, they can think about retaining Jeffers.
The Yankees can also move in the direction of Tyler Stephenson. Stephenson is a righty, and he could serve as a platoon with Wells. Stephenson could even DH at times, allowing their former top catching prospect to continue showing if he can salvage his season.
Wells still has a lot to show, even if that blast against the Phillies was impressive. Wells is swinging a hot stick, but he still has a 56 wRC+. He is well below the point of league average, and may not even hit his mark of 94, which was still pretty disappointing last season.
Today’s best reads
- Marlins Have the Antidote to Cure Yankees’ Catcher Needs
- Pros and Cons of a Potential Yankees-Tyler Stephenson Trade
- Adley Rutschman Blockbuster Trade Could Cost Yankees More Than Just Top Prospects
- Yankees Should Consider Passing on Hunter Goodman Trade to Pursue This Catcher
- Yankees Can’t Afford Passive Deadline With Uncertain MLB Landscape
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/yankees/onsi as Yankees Plans at Catcher Could Change With Recent Austin Wells Revelation.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more World Cup Hero Vozinha Swerves MLS for Surprise Club
This story was originally published July 26, 2026 at 8:00 AM.