Insider reveals if Austin Wells is at risk of being sent to Triple-A by Yankees

The New York Yankees are one of the best teams in baseball, but have some players in season-long slumps. 

The player who stands out the most is catcher Austin Wells. His .178/.296/.274 slash line with just four home runs and seven RBIs in 44 games leaves much to be desired. 

It's one of the reasons there are already rumors that the Yankees could be looking into making a trade for a right-handed hitting backstop. 

Wells' struggles have led to questions posed to The Athletic's Brendan Kuty about the Yankees' plans for the catcher. Kuty responded to a fan's question about whether the Yankees should consider sending Wells to Triple-A. 

"No. He’s their best option defensively, pitchers like throwing to him, and he hasn’t been terrible against right-handers (.349 on-base percentage)," Kuty responded. "Acquiring a right-handed-hitting catcher to platoon with him would be the better idea." 

Sending Wells to Triple-A would only create roster issues for the Yankees in the Majors. Backup J.C. Escarra is not hitting either, and who would they promote to take Wells' spot? 

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Both Ali Sanchez and Payton Henry, who are at Triple-A, are not on the 40-man roster despite having Major League experience. It's likely neither one of them would provide more on offense than Wells. 

Also, it appears the Yankees have no interest in playing Ben Rice behind the plate, as that only increases his injury risk. 

For now, the Yankees will ride it out with Wells. It's something they will probably have to live with until the deadline. 

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