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Yankees Swap Catchers in Latest Roster Move
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- Yankees Swap Catchers in Latest Roster Move
The New York Yankees are making a change with their catching depth.
Following Friday's 5-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox , New York announced they are optioning catcher J.C. Escarra to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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In a corresponding move, the Yankees are promoting catcher Ali Sánchez , according to YES Network 's Jack Curry.
The move comes as Escarra has struggled mightily at the plate this season. In 62 at-bats over 22 games, the left-handed catcher is slashing .177/.235/.258 with seven RBIs.
Meanwhile, Sánchez has had an up-and-down 2026 season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After slashing .314/.386/.490 with three home runs and seven RBIs through April, Sánchez has not maintained that same level of production since.
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In 21 games during May, the 29-year-old catcher hit just .179 with a .632 OPS.
Through 40 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, Sánchez owns a .227/.327/.375 slash line with six home runs and 11 RBIs.
Sánchez will now join Austin Wells and serve as the backup catcher. Wells has struggled offensively this season as well, hitting just .166/.278/.255 with four home runs and seven RBIs through 47 games.
Even with his defensive value, Wells' offensive production has not been enough for a team with World Series aspirations.
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New York's lack of offensive production from its catchers has been a season-long issue. Those struggles have become even more significant following Aaron Judge 's injury.
The Yankees' superstar right fielder will be sidelined for the foreseeable future with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side . He will be re-imaged in four to six weeks, and the team expects him to return this season.
American League MVP candidate Ben Rice has experience playing catcher in the majors. However, general manager Brian Cashman said Friday that moving Rice behind the plate is not currently being considered.
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"He's certainly capable of going behind the plate," Cashman said . "But I guess it's something we'll kick around down the line. It's not something that's on the radar right now. So we like it the way it is currently [with Rice at first base]. Once the party gets bigger and you have more players to play with, some of these conversations [are ones] we'll have."
Paul Goldschmidt has played well this season, hitting .268 with seven home runs and an .862 OPS. Additionally, there is Giancarlo Stanton . He has not played since April 24 due to a right calf strain.
New York will have a critical lineup decision to make when Stanton returns.
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In the meantime, how the Yankees' catchers perform offensively will be a key storyline to watch ahead of the trade deadline. If their struggles continue, expect New York to be aggressive in pursuing catching help this summer.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
