It was the second lineup in a row that featured young slugger Ben Rice at the catcher spot, with Austin Wells increasingly pushed to the side amid a slump at the plate.

Aaron Boone is trying to balance Rice’s emergence with Austin Wells’ development, and it’s become one of the trickier lineup puzzles of the stretch run. Rice has muscled into the picture with his bat and improving glove. Boone praised the rookie’s progress on WFAN Tuesday morning.

With Austin Wells struggling at the plate and Ben Rice swinging an impact bat, the latter found himself serving as the Yankees’ starting catcher for the second consecutive night on Tuesday against

Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice crank back-to-back homers to increase the Yankees' lead to 8 runs in the top of the 4th inning

ST. LOUIS — Ben Rice homered and tied a career high with seven RBIs, Aaron Judge also went deep in his first multi-hit game since the All-Star break, and the New York Yankees beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 12-8, on Saturday night.

Yankees first. Trent Grisham homers to right field. Ben Rice grounds out to second base, Brandon Lowe to Bob Seymour. Aaron Judge walks. Cody Bellinger flies out to center field to Jake Mangum.

Yankees catcher Austin Wells admits frustration after losing starts to Ben Rice, with Paul Goldschmidt limiting lineup flexibility.