David Wells to the Yankees’ players: ‘Do your job’
Former Yankees lefty David Wells has never shied away from giving his opinion. That didn’t change when he made an appearance on Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.
Wells blasted the Yankees players for their performance this past season. He made sure to express the blame for their 82-80 finish isn’t just on general manager Brian Cashman or manager Aaron Boone.
“Everyone’s blaming Cashman, they’re blaming Aaron Boone,” Wells said. So to me, it’s a matter of if the players don’t produce, send them a message, and I don’t care how much money they’re making. Send them down, and let them sit in the minor leagues for a bit.
“Yeah, they got guaranteed contracts, but they’re not getting the publicity that they want in a big-league stadium. Go to a minor-league stadium. It’s not fun when you’re in the big leagues and you go back down, because it’s humiliating when you get sent down. But do your job, and that’s what they gotta do.”
Wells seemed annoyed with the fact the Bronx Bombers missed the postseason for the first time since 2016. He also seemed bothered by the lack of execution from experienced veterans on the roster like DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton.
The former lefty used a reference from Forest Gump when signing and trading for players as “like a box of chocolates.”
“You never know what you’re gonna get,” Wells said. “So that’s the same thing with athletes. You don’t know what you’re gonna get. A guy might get hurt, and that’s what it is.
“And now, all of a sudden, the organization, the GM, the manager, they get the heat for it and then usually they end up getting fired. It’s the players. The players need to go out and step up, and they have to recognize that.”
You don’t always get former team legends bashing their former organizations. Wells strong words likely echo a fan base that wants to see the Yankees return to a regular staple in the postseason.
The Yankees have some albatross contracts on their roster, Stanton is owed $98 million and LeMahieu is under contract through the 2026 campaign. New York is unlikely to be able to move either player unless they’re willing to eat a significant portion of their remaining money.
No matter what the Yankees plan to do to address and fix their roster, Wells has been critical of the current product and other matters. It’ll be interesting to see how Wells weighs in on his former employer as they navigate this offseason.
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