Of Course Boone Was Wrong About Austin Wells At Lead Off

Remember when Aaron Boone flirted with the idea of Austin Wells batting leadoff during spring training? Yankees fans sure do—because we all collectively gagged on our pinstripes. The mere thought of a guy hitting .226 setting the tone for the lineup was enough to make you question if Boone was filling out cards blindfolded. Wells gave it a go at the top for like 2 games, sure, but it went exactly how everyone expected: like a kid lost in Times Square. These days he’s comfortably tucked in the eighth spot, where his bat can’t do too much damage to our playoff hopes.

But thank the baseball gods, someone with a functioning baseball brain finally decided to give Jasson Domínguez a shot at leadoff—and now that looks like a move. I was suggest it was a desperation move by Boone, like “let’s try this” and it worked. Since taking over the top of the order, Domínguez has been cooking. The kid is hitting .339 with an on-base percentage of .435 and a slugging percentage north of .500. 

Translation: he’s been a nightmare for pitchers and a dream for fans. He’s doing all the things you want in a leadoff guy—getting on base, working counts, sparking rallies, and flashing enough pop to make you forget he’s still basically learning where to park at Yankee Stadium.

And let’s be clear—this wasn’t some grand Boone strategy. This wasn’t “part of the plan.” This was more of a “hey, what if we tried the guy who’s actually hitting?” kind of moment. Because let’s face it: when Boone makes a lineup decision, it’s usually like watching someone try to plug in a USB stick for the first time—wrong, wrong again, then finally it fits.

But Jasson? The Martian is making Earth baseball look easy. He’s electric. He’s fearless. He’s fun. And he might just be the spark this stale Yankees offense has been begging for all season.

Yankees fans were right about Wells. We are right to question Boone. And they’re definitely right to be all-in on Domínguez. This kid is the real deal, and the best part? He didn’t need a hype machine or a privileged path through the system—just talent, fire, and an actual ability to deliver.

So, here’s to the accidental genius of putting Domínguez in the leadoff spot. May Boone stay out of his way, and may the Martian keep launching this team into orbit.