Yankees' Aaron Boone Sends Ben Rice Message as Catcher Job Remains Unclaimed
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Ben Rice's remarkable season has been a key to keeping the New York Yankees afloat.
Rice didn't have a clear path to playing time in spring training, but Giancarlo Stanton's elbow injuries opened the door to at-bats early on. Once Stanton returned, Rice saw more time on the bench at first, but lately, he's been carving out a role for himself at an unexpected position.
Though he was a catcher and first baseman in the minors, Rice didn't have a single start in the majors behind the plate until mid-June, with Austin Wells entrenched as the starter. Lately, though, the split has been a lot more even.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 11: Ben Rice #22 talks to Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2025 in New...
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 11: Ben Rice #22 talks to Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New)Rice has caught six of the Yankees' last 12 games as of Wednesday, and with another home run on Monday night, his 17th of the season, he's threatening to snatch the starting job from Wells, the third-place finisher in last year's Rookie of the Year race.
Rice got another start in an 8-1 Yankees win on Tuesday, and although manager Aaron Boone didn't tip his hand regarding who would start the majority of games moving forward, he lauded Rice for the strides he has made behind the plate.
"He hasn't done it a lot at this level, so there's still some things to learn, but we've been really pleased with how well he's handled it," Boone said, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "Him now from two months ago is a lot different -- he's gaining confidence and just playing really well."
"He's a really good receiver. I've really liked his preparation and game calling up here since he's got in there more and more."
If Rice's defense can get anywhere near Wells, there's no contest as to who should be behind the dish. The former has a 115 OPS+, while the latter's sits at 85.
There's no platoon potential here, as both Rice and Wells are left-handed batters (as is third-stringer J.C. Escarra). By October, if the Yankees are lucky enough to make it that far, one of the 26-year-olds is going to be firmly entrenched as the starter.
Recent trends suggest Rice is well on his way to earning that role, but ultimately, it's Boone's call as the skipper.
More MLB: Yankees Ripped For Keeping Aaron Boone Over 3-Time Manager Of The Year
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