New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone admitted catcher Austin Wells was guilty of “not a good call” when he was thrown out at third base in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen was hitless with two outs in the eighth before Wells doubled to right field. The veteran backstop tried to extend it to a triple but was thrown out in time.
“I don’t know if he saw anything on his way between first and second that made him go,” Boone told reporters after the game. “But, obviously, this is a mistake.”
Wells, for his part, said he thought the ball bounced off the wall harder than it did.
“(Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr.) made a good play with the ball,” he told reporters. “Two outs there, you know, trying to make something happen. Be aggressive when there’s not much going on in the game. But, you know, obviously I’d like to be safe there or standing at second base.”
Long-standing wisdom in baseball is to never make the first or last out at third, something Wells was guilty of.
His aggression was understandable to a certain extent. The Bronx Bombers had done nothing against Rasmussen, who struck out 10 and walked two batters, until now. Placing anyone on third would have meant New York was a hit or error away from tying the game.
Wells might have had trouble scoring from second on a base hit. With two outs, he would have run into contact.
The series is far from over and the Yankees have ace Cam Schlittler taking the mound for Game 2 on Monday. If they were to exit the American League Division Series, Wells’ gaffe would take on greater significance.
Gn sports
