New York Yankees place catcher Austin Wells on the injured list
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells has been placed on the injured list with cervical headaches, joining key absentees Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the sidelines.
Wells was a late scratch before Saturday’s postponed game against the Boston Red Sox.
The left-handed batter has struggled immensely at the plate during the 2026 season.
His .533 on-base plus slugging (OPS) ranks 212th out of 217 qualified Major League Baseball players.
Catching crisis deepens for Boone
Manager Aaron Boone was forced into an unexpected roster shuffle following the medical diagnosis.
J.C. Escarra has been recalled from Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to replace the injured backstop on the active roster.
The American League franchise had only optioned Escarra late on Friday night to make room for right-handed hitter Ali Sánchez.
Sánchez was scheduled to start the weekend matchup before adverse weather forced a postponement until August.
Boone told reporters when discussing the sudden roster changes:
“Hopefully Ali can come up here and provide a little bit of a spark and a different look, too.”
Rice option weighed amid major injuries
The Bronx Bombers are already navigating a severe injury crisis involving their most prolific batters.
Captain Aaron Judge is currently sidelined for an extended period with a stress fracture in his ribs.
Meanwhile, veteran slugger Giancarlo Stanton has been out since late April with a calf strain, though he is expected to return in two to three weeks.
Boone admitted that shifting Ben Rice to catcher is a theoretical possibility, but stressed that such a positional move is not currently planned.
The 27-year-old has been the team’s standout hitter this season, primarily splitting his time between first base and designated hitter.
There are serious concerns that the physical demands of catching regularly could negatively impact his crucial production at the plate.