How Yankees Now View Catcher with Ben Rice Surging, Austin Wells Slumping

Ben Rice no longer a side dish; he's behind the plate for Yankees

Austin Wells just can't climb out of his 400-at-bat slump.

How Yankees now view catcher with Ben Rice surging, Austin Wells slumping

NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone says that his daily lineup decisions, which are heavily influenced by the analytics staff, are based on what he thinks gives the Yankees the best chance to win the next game.

Yankees' Aaron Boone Mum Ben Rice Possibly Replacing Austin Wells

The New York Yankees are going through a rough stretch, and making a change in the lineup could be key in getting the offense going again.

Yankees’ Austin Wells explains why he’s struggling as Ben Rice pushes to catch more

Stuck in a season-long slump, Austin Wells found himself sitting for the second time in three games on Monday as the Yankees won their series-opener over the Twins, 6-2. While lauded for his receiving skills, the Bombers’ starting catcher has been tough to watch in the batter’s box this season, as Wells is hitting just .208/.267/.412 with 15 home runs, 56 RBI and an 84 WRC+. One of the Yankees’ more disappointing hitters, he has been even worse …

The Yankees quietly made a big change at catcher

Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesWendell Cruz-Imagn Images It felt inevitable that the New York Yankees would reevaluate their catching situation before the stretch run of the season. Now, Ben Rice appears to be the clear choice, earning his second straight start behind the plate on Tuesday night. Rice’s offensive profile is hard to ignore In what is essentially his rookie season, Rice has already shown the kind of bat the Yankees desperately need. He r…

Yankees Have Austin Wells Fix; But Is Aaron Boone Interested?

The New York Yankees have an apparent solution to their Austin Wells problem, but that doesn’t mean manager Aaron Boone will embrace it. In the words of The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, “Wells has been one of the most disappointing Yankees this season.” Wells entered Tuesday with a .208/ .267/ .412/ .679 slash line for New York in 2025 to go along with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 308 at-bats.  Wells has struggled profoundly against off-speed pitc…