The New York Yankees faced another difficult decision this summer, needing to adjust their catching situation to spark the lineup.
Austin Wells has held the job for defensive stability, but his bat has been a glaring weakness all season long.
Wells providing defense but little offense
The 26-year-old has been elite with framing, ranking in the 94th percentile with seven catcher framing runs already.
Yet offensively, Wells has slipped badly, hitting just .206/.264/.408 with a .672 OPS through the heart of the season.
Since the All-Star break, Wells has practically disappeared, managing only six hits over 54 at-bats for the Yankees.
Rice stepping into a larger role
Because of that decline, the Yankees are giving Ben Rice more chances, especially with his offense keeping pressure on pitchers.
Rice is hitting .235/.327/.458 with a healthy .785 OPS, powered by 17 homers that have kept him in the lineup.
On Friday against the Cardinals, Rice collected two hits and scored a run, proving his value again in crunch time.
A unique split-catching strategy
The Yankees are now experimenting with a creative plan, letting Rice handle most innings before inserting Wells late defensively.
This hybrid approach allows them to maximize Rice’s bat without completely sacrificing Wells’ elite defensive presence behind the plate.
It’s like building a puzzle where one piece brings offense and the other provides the essential finishing defensive edge.
Defensive growth from Rice still needed
Rice isn’t a finished product behind the plate, having allowed a few passed balls, including some against St. Louis recently.
However, many of those pitches were wild, and Rice has steadily shown signs that his framing and blocking will improve.
The Yankees trust that his bat is too valuable to remove, giving him time to refine defensive fundamentals gradually.
Developing chemistry with the bullpen
When David Bednar entered Friday’s game to close, Wells stepped in and showed instant chemistry with the Yankees’ new closer.
They worked seamlessly together, notching two strikeouts in the inning and ending the game with confidence on the final out.
Cody Bellinger added a highlight reel moment in left field, securing a shoestring grab to secure the narrow victory.
- The Yankees could ‘blow up their budget’ to sign impact free agent pitcher
- Overpay or Lose?: Yankees finalists in possible $150+ million battle for Tatsuya Imai
- Updating the Yankees’ top 5 starting pitching targets for 2026
What the Yankees’ future looks like at catcher
This platoon-style usage could become the standard blueprint for the Yankees as they balance strengths and weaknesses strategically.
Wells offers elite defense in late innings, while Rice supplies the power and on-base presence sorely needed throughout games.
If both continue growing in their respective roles, the Yankees may finally stabilize a position that has long been inconsistent.
More about: New York Yankees
