It all began with a costly mistake under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium — a split-second mental lapse that quickly became a storm of criticism. In the bottom of the sixth, with momentum hanging in the balance, the Yankees’ 26-year-old star misread the situation and got doubled off to end what could have been a game-transforming rally. As boos rained down, the backlash was quick and fierce. “I was just being an idiot,” the star said afterward, a rare moment of honesty in a game where excuses are the norm. However, for the Yankees fans, honesty does not shield you. It just paints a larger target on your back.

And that is exactly what happened. Despite Austin Wells’ limited opportunities — just 11 games in August, with two of those as late-game substitutions — the star became the convenient scapegoat. Fans and media pounced and insiders like Paul Sullivan of Locked On MLB amplified the critique: “Today, you had Volpe throw to second base where there wasn’t a force play… and then you had Austin Wells who… I’m sorry, he’s not a major league player. He should not be starting.”

Harsh statement for a catcher who had, just days earlier, provided two towering home runs against the Rays — one off staff ace Drew Rasmussen, the other off elite closer Pete Fairbanks. Every blast was over 400 feet, each against pitchers in the top percentile at limiting hard contact. Those moments did not buy Wells grace; instead, they felt erased the second the star stumbled.

The double standard becomes impossible to ignore when you look at who is not facing the same scrutiny. Anthony Volpe, the highly-touted “golden boy” of the Yankees, continues to see his name penciled into the lineup despite glaring mistakes. Just this week, the star’s botched throw to second — when there was not a force play — cost the team a vital out. Yet Volpe’s role remains unquestioned.

This is not related to one error versus another; it is related to perception. Wells’ miscues are magnified, while Anthony Volpe’s are treated as growing pains. As Wells himself said, “If this is what they think is going to help the team in this moment, then that’s what’s going to help the team. … I’m trying to get better every single day so I can do the same thing as Ben when it’s my turn again.”

That is the cruel irony. Austin Wells is fighting for every scrap of scope, making the most of rare starts with game-transforming swings, while Volpe plays through his issues with unwavering managerial help. For some fans, it is not just related to performance anymore — it is related to favoritism. Or as one irate fan said: “So Jazz and McMahon get days off, but golden boy Volpe doesn’t get benched? Is he Boone’s son that I’m not aware of?” Such frustration is not going away and unless the manager begins to help his stars to the same standard, the scapegoating of Wells could just be the beginning of a larger locker room issue.

And while Aaron Boone’s handling of Austin Wells has ignited debate, it is far from the only fire he is putting out—the bullpen, once identified as a powerful strength after the trade deadline, has become a glaring liability.

Camilo Doval’s Struggles Expose a Costly Trade Deadline Gamble

When the Yankees landed Camilo Doval from the Giants on July 31, the move was hailed as a coup—a proven closer with 107 career saves, slotted into a setup role to stabilize late innings. Instead, the star’s time in pinstripes has been a harsh reality check. Entrusted with a 3-2 lead against the Red Sox on Thursday, the star recorded just one out while surrendering the game-tying run. It was Camilo Doval’s third straight appearance giving up runs, the star’s fifth in nine outings and another reminder that the team’s bullpen “upgrade” is not paying dividends. Camilo Doval’s data tell the story: a 7.36 ERA with six earned runs enabled in just 7⅓ innings since joining the Yankees.

Aaron Boone’s analysis was blunt but measured: “His stuff’s really good, obviously, just again it’s strike-throwing. That next level of strike-throwing that allows you to be really, really good, and really, really sharp out there,” Boone said. “Just not quite as sharp as when he’s at his best”, the manager added.

Camilo Doval, for his part, is trying to stay even-keeled amid the mounting scrutiny. “Just adjusting to the role here now… preparing myself earlier to go into the game,” the star said through an interpreter. “At the end of the day, I want to give 100 percent out there on the field. Sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn’t”, he added.

The issue? Patience is scarce with the New York Yankees and the “sometimes it doesn’t” moments are happening far too often. For the team already under fire for its lineup decisions, watching a vital trade-deadline piece falter only adds to the perception of mismanagement.