The Yankees Needs to Make a Change at Catcher Soon

The status quo isn't working. New York needs a shake-up behind home plate ASAP.

The Yankees need a shake-up behind home plate if they want the best chance to compete for a World Series title. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Yankees are in a bit of a dry spell as May continues. Only 14 runs were scored in their last six games before this weekend's Subway Series, leaving Yankees fans hopeful that manager Aaron Boone will make the necessary changes to turn things around. Otherwise, an already uphill battle will only become steeper as we head into the summer.

The Yankees need to get more offense out of their lineup, especially from the catcher position. Austin Wells and backup J.C. Escarra haven't been as consistent as fans (or the club) would like, leaving much room for improvement. The only question is, how will New York make that necessary upgrade? Because it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Yankees need to upgrade from Austin Wells, JC Escarra soon

Wells has never had an electric bat, but he's at least been serviceable in the past. That hasn't been the case as much this season, with the 26-year-old backstop in the middle of his worst performance.

It hasn't been all bad with Wells, as his defense and pitch-calling remain above average. He has the fourth-most catcher framing runs (3) among 58 qualified players this season, per Baseball Savant, as well as a .997 field percentage and American League-best 283 putouts. As impressive as those numbers are, though, Wells's lackluster offensive performance overshadows anything he's done defensively.

Through 120 plate appearances (100 at-bats), Wells is slashing .180/.308/.280 with three home runs, five RBIs, and 19 walks. His .588 OPS is the worst mark of his career, as are his .273 rOBA and 2.5 HR%. His bat has become even more unreliable in the last few weeks, with only two hits in his last 21 ABs—good for a .095 batting average.

Austin Wells does a good job at calling pitches, but will it be enough for him to stop the Yankees from finding a replacement? | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Escarra showed potential to begin the 2026 season, with Yankees fans wanting to see what he could do in an expanded role. His start to the year was slow; however, a brief heater in the middle of April made it seem as if Escarra was ready to challenge Wells for the starting job.

Fast forward to mid-May, and the 31-year-old catcher has already lost his momentum. Escarra has only two hits in his last six games (16 ABs), registering a putrid .125 batting average and .410 OPS. He won't be in this slump forever (hopefully), but the fact that he's swinging his bat this poorly highlights that Escarra is best suited in a backup role.

Escarra has hit well against lefties this season, but neither he nor Wells is having any success against righties. They're close to being automatic outs whenever facing pitchers throwing from that side of the mound, which makes it hard for the Yankees' offense to flow smoothly.

Trade market could help with Yankees' catcher needs

The 2026 MLB trade deadline isn't until Aug. 3, but that doesn't mean that the Yankees can't start looking for potential catcher upgrades now. It's better to handle that issue as soon as possible before other catcher-needy teams beat New York to any potential backstop solutions. After all, the Guardians already landed two-time Gold Glove winner Patrick Bailey from the Giants last week.

Ryan Jeffers is batting .294 with six HRs, 25 RBIs, and a career-best 160 OPS+ in 33 games this season, and could be on the move with the Twins playing sub-.500 baseball. Dalton Rushing is one of the top offensive catchers in the league, yet the Dodgers might not have long-term plans for him since Will Smith has a stranglehold on the starting job. The Astros' Yainer Diaz is another name worth keeping track of now that they're a likelier trade partner than before.

The Twins' Ryan Jeffers is one of the potential catcher upgrades that the Yankees should consider before the MLB trade deadline. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

In other words, the Yankees have multiple potential paths to traverse if they want to upgrade their catching situation. Wells and Escarra are far from the worst at their position, but they also aren't the best. They're suited for backup roles, giving New York every incentive to find a catcher who can be relied upon as an everyday starter.

The options will only dwindle the closer we get to August's deadline. If the Yankees know what's best for them, they'll work on solving this problem ASAP before it compounds into something much worse.