The best thing about injuries is that they give young players a chance to prove their worth. But what about when the injured player returns? That’s where the New York Yankees find themselves in.
Former All-Stars Near Return To Yankees Lineup
The New York Yankees will soon be facing this very problem. With catcher Jose Trevino and first baseman Anthony Rizzo each inching closer to a return, Aaron Boone will have some difficult decisions on his hands. How will the Yankees’ lineup look after everyone is back and healthy?
The Rise Of Wells
Fitting an injured player back into the lineup is even harder when their replacement has outplayed them. This is true for both Rizzo and Trevino.
The 31-year-old catcher was placed on the IL with a left quad strain on July 13. Though Austin Wells and Trevino had previously been sharing catching duties 50/50, Wells has certainly taken advantage of the opportunity to start every day. In his last 15 games, he is hitting .345 with a .937 OPS and 9 RBIs. This is a far cry from earlier this season when the 25-year-old struggled mightily with the bat.
MLB Catchers with 110 wRC+ or higher, +10 BB%, +5 Fielding Run Value, and +2.0 fWAR (Min. 500 Innings) :
Austin Wells (113 wRC+, 12.3 BB%, 6 FRV, 2.4 fWAR)
That's it. pic.twitter.com/JWbk5ekyXV
— Aiden Béchamps (@ABechamps) August 1, 2024
Not only has Wells heated up at the plate, but he has also proven to be a valuable defender. According to Baseball Savant, Wells is in the 95th percentile of catchers in terms of framing and has thrown out 15 runners on 70 opportunities (21%). Though Trevino has been great defensively in the past, winning a Gold Glove in 2022, his fielding production has taken a noticeable dip this year in addition to his hitting.
When asked about this predicament, Aaron Boone said that Wells has more or less earned the starting catcher job: “Where [Wells] has gone over the last month, six weeks will probably garner a lot of playing time. That said, I expect Trevy in there quite a bit, too….Trevy will play some, but Austin has definitely earned more and more reps.”
With Wells finally coming into his own, Trevino will unlikely see too much playing time when he comes back.
Rice Or Rizzo?
When Rizzo went down in mid-June, there were very low expectations for his replacement, Ben Rice. In 70 games this year, Rizzo has hit .223 with a .630 OPS and just eight home runs. This meant that Rice didn’t have to do much to outperform his predecessor, which he has certainly done.
In 38 games, Rice has almost matched Rizzo’s HR total (7), and his .719 OPS is higher than multiple other Yankee starters. Though hitting only .197, he’s shown great plate discipline, boasting a .301 OBP and a 19/37 walks-strikeouts ratio.
Defensively, he has been serviceable, especially considering his recent switch to first base from behind the dish. Though DJ LeMahieu has started over Rice recently, his lefty bat has been a valuable asset to the Yanks’ order.
What a stop by Ben Rice! 🍚#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/rVMroB7xug
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 3, 2024
When Rizzo does return, he will inevitably get some playing time. However, Rice has shown that he provides more depth to the lineup than Rizzo or even LeMahieu, so the most likely scenario involves a combination of all three at first.
The Last Word
The Yankees have had a lot of platooning situations in 2024, whether at catcher, first base, or even DH. With Rizzo and Trevino returning to the mix, this will likely continue for the rest of the season. Ideally, Aaron Boone can choose one guy as the designated starter when the postseason comes. Right now, it looks like the “Baby Bombers” in Wells and Rice will take the catcher and first base.
Main Photo Credits: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
