Team Dominican Republic’s manager Albert Pujols offered a staunch defense of his decision to stick with catcher Austin Wells through the final frames in the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
When asked why he declined to pinch-run for Wells late in the game, Pujols was characteristically blunt: “How can you remove your best catcher from the field? It’s easy for people outside the lines to second-guess, but you aren’t analyzing the real-time flow of the game.“
With only two innings remaining and the tying run at a premium, many analysts argued that Pujols should have swapped Wells for a more explosive runner to capitalize on late-inning traffic.
Ultimately, Pujols stood by his tactical choice, but the Dominican squad failed to convert a late-inning chance to level the score.
Analyzing the high-stakes moments involving Wells
To understand the tactical divide, one must look at several pivotal sequences where the Dominican Republic’s offensive momentum stalled.
In the fourth inning, Wells stepped in with the bases loaded and two outs but flied out to center field. The missed opportunity allowed Skenes to escape a massive jam and preserve what was then a tied ballgame.
Later, in the seventh, the Dominicans threatened again, but a lack of elite foot speed kept Wells stationary at third base on a potential scoring play.
The sequence ended in frustration as Gregory Soto’s relief effort was undermined by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ketel Marte striking out. This proved to be the final clear opening for the Dominican lineup to swing the momentum back in their favor.
The ninth-inning controversy in Miami
In a last-ditch effort, Julio Rodriguez drew a walk in the ninth, finally prompting Pujols to utilize his bench. Oneil Cruz entered as a pinch-hitter, eventually drawing a walk of his own to move the winning run into scoring position.
The comeback bid reached a fever pitch with the bases loaded for Geraldo Perdomo, but his chance was cut short by an immensely controversial strike-three call. The slider from Mason Miller appeared to fall well below the zone, sparking immediate outrage from the Dominican dugout.
The tension spilled over into the press room when a Dominican reporter pressed Miller on the final pitch in WBC semifinals. Before the fireballer could offer his perspective, tournament officials abruptly ended the press conference.