The New York Yankees have placed catcher Austin Wells on the injured list due to cervical headaches, leading to the recall of J.C. Escarra from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This decision comes shortly after the team opted to replace Escarra with Ali Sánchez, who started against the Boston Red Sox. Wells has struggled offensively, ranking near the bottom in OPS among major league players. The Yankees' catchers have collectively produced a mere .527 OPS this season, only better than the Philadelphia Phillies. Manager Aaron Boone has not ruled out Ben Rice, the team's best hitter, taking on catching responsibilities, despite concerns that this could tire him and impact his offensive performance. Rice is currently having a standout season, ranking second in OPS and batting .305 with 18 home runs. With Aaron Judge also sidelined, the Yankees are under pressure to optimize their lineup, especially with Giancarlo Stanton expected to return from injury in two to three weeks.