David Wells
Born: 5/20/1963 in Torrance, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1987-06-30 | Final Game: 2007-09-28
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 187 lbs
Full name: David Lee Wells
Biography
David Wells was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1987 to 2007. Born in 1963, Wells made a significant impact on the game during his career, marked by a strong competitive spirit and an unorthodox pitching style. Over his two-decade tenure, he compiled a record of 239 wins against 157 losses, finishing his career with a 4.13 earned run average (ERA) and a total of 2,201 strikeouts. His ability to dominate hitters was complemented by a fierce competitive nature, which earned him respect among his peers and fans alike.
Wells was a three-time All-Star and was named the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) during his career, showcasing his ability to perform under pressure. His contributions to the game were particularly notable during a time when pitching was evolving, and he adeptly navigated the challenges of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. With 13 career saves to his name, Wells demonstrated versatility as a pitcher, capable of closing games when needed. His legacy remains as a testament to his skill and determination on the mound, making him a memorable figure in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 239 | 157 | 660 | 489 | 54 | 12 | 13 | 3439.0 | 3635 | 1578 | 407 | 719 | 2201 | 4.13 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | TOR | AL | 4 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29.3 | 37 | 13 | 12 | 32 | 3.99 | 1753.7 |
| 1988 | TOR | AL | 3 | 5 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 64.3 | 65 | 33 | 31 | 56 | 4.62 | -2050.3 |
| 1989 | TOR | AL | 7 | 4 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 86.3 | 66 | 23 | 28 | 78 | 2.40 | 2259.4 |
| 1990 | TOR | AL | 11 | 6 | 43 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 189.0 | 165 | 66 | 45 | 115 | 3.14 | 2753.4 |
| 1991 | TOR | AL | 15 | 10 | 40 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 198.3 | 188 | 82 | 49 | 106 | 3.72 | -1136.0 |
| 1992 | TOR | AL | 7 | 9 | 41 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 120.0 | 138 | 72 | 36 | 62 | 5.40 | -2575.1 |
| 1993 | DET | AL | 11 | 9 | 32 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 187.0 | 183 | 87 | 42 | 139 | 4.19 | 462.7 |
| 1994 | DET | AL | 5 | 7 | 16 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 111.3 | 113 | 49 | 24 | 71 | 3.96 | 1245.6 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | 6 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 72.7 | 74 | 29 | 16 | 50 | 3.59 | 1825.4 |
| 1995 | DET | AL | 10 | 3 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 130.3 | 120 | 44 | 37 | 83 | 3.04 | 94.0 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | 11 | 14 | 34 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 224.3 | 247 | 128 | 51 | 130 | 5.14 | -185.8 |
| 1997 | NYY | AL | 16 | 10 | 32 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 218.0 | 239 | 102 | 45 | 156 | 4.21 | - |
| 1998 | NYY | AL | 18 | 4 | 30 | 30 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 214.3 | 195 | 83 | 29 | 163 | 3.49 | - |
| 1999 | TOR | AL | 17 | 10 | 34 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 231.7 | 246 | 124 | 62 | 169 | 4.82 | 2167.6 |
| 2000 | TOR | AL | 20 | 8 | 35 | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 229.7 | 266 | 105 | 31 | 166 | 4.11 | 7634.3 |
| 2001 | CHW | AL | 5 | 7 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.7 | 120 | 50 | 21 | 59 | 4.47 | - |
| 2002 | NYY | AL | 19 | 7 | 31 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 206.3 | 210 | 86 | 45 | 137 | 3.75 | - |
| 2003 | NYY | AL | 15 | 7 | 31 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 213.0 | 242 | 98 | 20 | 101 | 4.14 | - |
| 2004 | SDP | NL | 12 | 8 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 195.7 | 203 | 81 | 20 | 101 | 3.73 | - |
| 2005 | BOS | AL | 15 | 7 | 30 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 184.0 | 220 | 91 | 21 | 107 | 4.45 | 2201.6 |
| 2006 | BOS | AL | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47.0 | 64 | 26 | 8 | 24 | 4.98 | -1038.3 |
| 2006 | SDP | NL | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.3 | 33 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 3.49 | - |
| 2007 | LAD | NL | 4 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.7 | 45 | 22 | 9 | 19 | 5.12 | - |
| 2007 | SDP | NL | 5 | 8 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 118.7 | 156 | 73 | 33 | 63 | 5.54 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 660 | 178 | 8 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 59 | 0.129 | 0.148 | 0.140 | 0.289 | -645.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | TOR | AL | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1988 | TOR | AL | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1989 | TOR | AL | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1990 | TOR | AL | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1991 | TOR | AL | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1992 | TOR | AL | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1993 | DET | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1994 | DET | AL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | 11 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1995 | DET | AL | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1997 | NYY | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1998 | NYY | AL | 30 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1999 | TOR | AL | 34 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2000 | TOR | AL | 35 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 2001 | CHW | AL | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2002 | NYY | AL | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | NYY | AL | 31 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | SDP | NL | 31 | 57 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 0.105 | -645.0 |
| 2005 | BOS | AL | 30 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | BOS | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | SDP | NL | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | LAD | NL | 7 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.267 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | SDP | NL | 22 | 38 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.105 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | NLDS2 | SDN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 2005 | ALDS1 | BOS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2003 | WS | NYA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2003 | ALCS | NYA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2003 | ALDS1 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2002 | ALDS1 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1998 | ALDS2 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1998 | ALCS | NYA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1998 | WS | NYA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1997 | ALDS1 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1996 | ALCS | BAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1996 | ALDS1 | BAL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1995 | NLCS | CIN | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
| 1995 | NLDS2 | CIN | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
| 1992 | WS | TOR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1991 | ALCS | TOR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1989 | ALCS | TOR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5 | 27 | 17 | 0 | 125.0 | 116 | 44 | 25 | 83 | 3.17 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | NLDS2 | SDN | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3.60 |
| 2005 | ALDS1 | BOS | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2.70 |
| 2003 | ALCS | NYA | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7.7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2.35 |
| 2003 | ALDS1 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.7 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1.17 |
| 2003 | WS | NYA | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8.0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3.38 |
| 2002 | ALDS1 | NYA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.7 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 15.43 |
| 1998 | ALCS | NYA | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 15.7 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 2.87 |
| 1998 | ALDS2 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.00 |
| 1998 | WS | NYA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6.43 |
| 1997 | ALDS1 | NYA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.00 |
| 1996 | ALCS | BAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.7 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4.05 |
| 1996 | ALDS1 | BAL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13.7 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 4.61 |
| 1995 | NLCS | CIN | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4.50 |
| 1995 | NLDS2 | CIN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0.00 |
| 1992 | WS | TOR | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.00 |
| 1991 | ALCS | TOR | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 2.35 |
| 1989 | ALCS | TOR | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 660 | 489 | 149 | 451 | 30 | 25 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | TOR | P | 18 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1988 | TOR | P | 41 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989 | TOR | P | 54 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | TOR | P | 43 | 25 | 7 | 32 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 | TOR | P | 40 | 28 | 5 | 35 | 2 | 1 |
| 1992 | TOR | P | 41 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 1993 | DET | P | 32 | 30 | 10 | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | DET | P | 16 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | CIN | P | 11 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 | DET | P | 18 | 18 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| 1996 | BAL | P | 34 | 34 | 15 | 39 | 1 | 4 |
| 1997 | NYA | P | 32 | 32 | 8 | 29 | 4 | 2 |
| 1998 | NYA | P | 30 | 30 | 8 | 27 | 3 | 1 |
| 1999 | TOR | P | 34 | 34 | 7 | 30 | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 | TOR | P | 35 | 35 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| 2001 | CHA | P | 16 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| 2002 | NYA | P | 31 | 31 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 2 |
| 2003 | NYA | P | 31 | 30 | 7 | 32 | 0 | 2 |
| 2004 | SDN | P | 31 | 31 | 7 | 38 | 1 | 1 |
| 2005 | BOS | P | 30 | 30 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 2 |
| 2006 | BOS | P | 8 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | SDN | P | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | LAN | P | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 | SDN | P | 22 | 22 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 660 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | TSN All-Star | LHP |
| 1998 | ALCS MVP | |
| 1998 | Player of the Week | Week of 1998-05-16 |
| 1998 | TSN All-Star | LHP |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | SDN | NL | $3,000,000 |
| 2006 | BOS | AL | $4,075,000 |
| 2005 | BOS | AL | $4,075,000 |
| 2004 | SDN | NL | $1,250,000 |
| 2003 | NYA | AL | $3,250,000 |
| 2002 | NYA | AL | $2,250,000 |
| 2001 | CHA | AL | $9,250,000 |
| 2000 | TOR | AL | $5,500,000 |
| 1999 | TOR | AL | $4,816,667 |
| 1998 | NYA | AL | $4,666,666 |
| 1997 | NYA | AL | $3,766,667 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | $3,200,000 |
| 1995 | DET | AL | $2,191,667 |
| 1994 | DET | AL | $2,500,000 |
| 1993 | DET | AL | $1,450,000 |
| 1992 | TOR | AL | $2,063,000 |
| 1991 | TOR | AL | $800,000 |
| 1990 | TOR | AL | $275,000 |
| 1989 | TOR | AL | $107,000 |
| 1988 | TOR | AL | $82,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $58,568,667 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Cy Young Award | AL | 3rd | 46.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 2000 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 2.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1998 | Cy Young Award | AL | 3rd | 31.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 1998 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 16th | 3.0 | 392 | 0 |