The New York Yankees are running out of excuses and 25-year-old lefty slugger Ben Rice is now caught in the crossfire. Amid a six-game losing streak and back-to-back series defeats to the Blue Jays and Mets, WFAN’s Sal Licata launched a scathing on-air rant on the Yankees’ declining standards with a particular focus on the team’s decision to use Rice behind the plate.
“Breaking news: Ben Rice is not a catcher,” Licata fumed. “Why is he catching Devin Williams in a tie game against a division rival? What are we doing here?”
Ben Rice Is Not a Catcher. Or Is He?
The Yankees have now fallen three games behind the Blue Jays in the American League East after being swept by Toronto in a four-game series, followed by two losses to the Mets.
Licata was left frustrated when he saw Rice catching late in a tight game against the Blue Jays. “Ben Rice is not a catcher. I don’t care how many games he caught in the minors,” he said.
That moment happened after Rice caught relief pitcher Devin Williams in extra innings and scrambled on a wild pitch. “Why is he catching in the late innings of a tie game against a division rival? Against one of the toughest guys in the league to catch?” he ranted. “You saw him on that wild pitch, just trying to protect himself. What are we doing here?”
Sal went scorched earth on the Yankee philosophy and how they “don’t play the game the right way”
Listen: https://t.co/Adz8RFCX9p pic.twitter.com/eCVC46WlyF
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) July 3, 2025
But here’s the truth: Ben Rice is a catcher. He caught at Dartmouth during his Ivy League career in 21 games before COVID-19 pandemic.
In the minor leagues, Rice spent most of his time behind the plate. He caught 121 games across four seasons from 2021 to 2024, logging just under 1,000 innings behind the plate and maintaining a respectable .989 fielding percentage.
So, as Licata alluded to, this isn’t a case of the Yankees forcing a square peg into a round hole. What would be fair to say is that Rice may not be ready to catch high-stakes MLB innings yet, and there are deeper issues with the Yankees, which have now been forced to make this change.
Yankees and Their Dilemma With Ben Rice
According to The Athletic, the Yankees are preparing to experiment with Rice behind the plate out of necessity. With Giancarlo Stanton set to return to the DH role Rice had previously occupied, the team needs to quickly find an alternative plan.
Currently, Austin Wells is the everyday catcher, with J.C. Escarra as his backup. Now, the Yankees want to add Rice to the mix.
Still, the Yankees believe Rice can handle it. They see a lefty bat worth keeping in the lineup, and catching may be the only solution. If Rice proves capable behind the plate even in a part-time role, it adds value.
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Even Rice has been optimistic about taking on the challenge as a catcher: “I love to catch, it’s natural to me.”
But what about Licata? He still sees the change as forcing yet another player “out of position”. “Whatever analytics excuse they use, it’s total garbage,” he said.
In his view, Rice is a promising young hitter stuck without a position and is not blaming him, but rather, the Yankees for the poor roster they have built. With Stanton locked into the DH spot and unable to field or run, and Paul Goldschmidt at first base, the Yankees have been backed to a corner.
“Last night it happens again, with a good offensive young player, Ben Rice. But because of how the Yankees are built, he doesn’t have a position,” Licata stated. “Stanton can’t play anywhere. You love Big G, great home run hitter, sure. But he can’t catch, can’t field, can’t run. And because of that, Rice’s bat is tough to fit in.”
Licata blames the Yankees for trying to fit Rice in a defensive role he believes the 25-year-old isn’t suited for. “They haven’t tried him at third yet, thank God. Because he can’t play there either. And yeah, he can’t catch!”
What’s Next for Ben Rice?
Rice opened the season on a strong note offensively. Through May 11, Rice was hitting .260 with nine home runs and a .937 OPS. His numbers briefly dipped after that, with his season average falling to .231 and his OPS to .790, but he appears to be picking up again.
Defensively, Rice has caught in 11 MLB games so far, starting four and logging 39.2 innings behind the plate. The sample is small, but he’s thrown out just one of four attempted base stealers so far.
After review, the runner is ruled out and Ben Rice catches Logan O’Hoppe stealing! pic.twitter.com/rbqOWve1Z9
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) June 18, 2025
Whether Rice is ready to catch on a full-time basis in the majors remains unclear, but one fact that is certain is that the Yankees want the lefty’s bat in the lineup. This says nothing about Rice; it simply highlights a flawed roster.