We finally have some clarity on Austin Wells’ rib issues: Wells told the media Wednesday morning that he has a fractured 12th rib, and the Yankees are currently putting together a treatment plan.
Wells worked out on the first day of spring camp but has been shut down since because of what manager Aaron Boone called “a little bit of a rib issue,” and the team and Wells believed it was just a bone bruise.
However, Boone said this week that Wells was “still feeling something” on the trainer’s table, and an MRI taken Tuesday revealed the fracture, which will likely keep Wells out for six to eight weeks.
Wells himself said he believes he will be shut down completely from baseball activities for seven to 10 days before getting a rehab plan in place, and six-to-eight weeks even would keep him out for the first two to four weeks of the regular season.
The injury suddenly leaves the thought-to-be catching rich Yankees in a bit of a bind going forward this spring; Kyle Higashioka, earmarked to be the MLB backup, is leaving for the WBC later this week, and Ben Rortvedt, who was likely to share time with Josh Breaux at Triple-A this year, is shut down due to an aneurysm in his shoulder and may miss “a month or two or three,” his own words after the surgery he had last week.
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Higgy will be back before the end of spring, but this is a missed chance for Wells, who could’ve gotten a lot of work behind the plate in camp with both Higashioka and Rortvedt missing.
Now, the Yankees, who brought eight catchers to camp, are soon to be down to Jose Trevino, Breaux, and three minor-league non-roster invitees – one of which is Anthony Seigler, a first-round pick in 2018 who has hit just .226 in four seasons and has yet to advance beyond High-A.
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