NEW YORK — Austin Wells drove Freddy Peralta’s fastball into the primary row of Yankee Stadium’s right-field brief porch and landed within the historical past books: the primary catcher in a century and a half of Main League Baseball to hit a leadoff dwelling run on opening day.
“Clearly, not enjoying to interrupt data,” he stated, “however it’s fairly cool.”
Yogi Berra by no means did it. Neither did Invoice Dickey, Elston Howard, Thurman Munson or Jorge Posada. Then once more, till Thursday the Yankees had not had a catcher bat leadoff in any of their earlier 19,451 video games.
Wells’ dwelling run, which might not have been out of another huge league ballpark, began the defending AL champions to a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
“There’s simply presence to him,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated.
With the departure of Gleyber Torres to the Detroit Tigers, Boone wanted a brand new leadoff hitter. He instructed Wells earlier than his second spring coaching sport, towards Toronto on Feb. 28, he was being moved to the highest of the order.
“I didn’t actually take it significantly,” Wells stated. “I believed possibly he’s like simply messing with me, however then it simply sort of continued to occur and had success, so right here we’re.”
Wells led off that exhibition sport with a house run towards Jake Bloss. Boone prefers a left-handed hitter with righty Aaron Choose moved as much as the No. 2 slot following the lack of Juan Soto to the New York Mets as a free agent.
“I get it. It’s unconventional. It’s the catcher and it’s not a burner and all that,” Boone stated. “I feel that’s the place he’s as a hitter now.”
A primary-round draft choose by the Yankees in 2020, Wells made his huge league debut in September 2023 and was recognized for his bat and never his protection.
“The trade had actual questions on him behind the plate, and as did we even arising by means of the system,” Boone stated. “It’s outstanding, actually is, to see the place he’s at now could be – to me, one of many sport’s actually good defensive catchers. It’s a testomony to the work he’s put in.”
New York hadn’t hit a catcher leadoff in 19,014 regular-season and 437 postseason video games, in keeping with the Elias Sports activities Bureau.
Wells took two balls from Peralta, then turned on a 93.4 mph pitch on the prime of the strike zone.
“Form of thrilling simply to sort of attending to hit in entrance of Aaron Choose and attempt to get on base for him,” Wells stated.
Choose smiled when he heard about that comment.
“Going all the best way again to January, February understanding with him, my man was targeted and hungry and able to go,” Choose stated. “He’s simply the final word crew man. It’s been enjoyable to see him – whilst a rookie he match proper into this crew. He was snug. He was joking with us. He was having a great time, however he’s at all times been in regards to the man subsequent to him. I feel that’s the place listening to the remark about `I’m simply excited’ to hit in entrance of me, that simply speaks volumes of what kind of particular person he’s.”
