Ben Rice pretty comfortable in first start as catcher for Yankees

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.Ben Rice passed his first test as a starting catcher in the majors.He came up through the minor league system primarily as a catcher before serving as a first baseman and a DH the past two seasons with the Yankees.Wednesday he made his first start behind the plate of his MLB career in a 3-2 loss to the Angels.Rice said he “felt pretty comfortable,” and he impressed Aaron Boone and starter Ryan Yarbrough with how he caught the game, as well as throwing out Logan O’Hoppe when he tried to steal second in the second inning.“Rice was good,’’ Boone said.

“I don’t think it moved too fast.”The Yankees want to use Rice more at catcher with Giancarlo Stanton back from elbow tendinitis that had sidelined him since the spring.Stanton didn’t start Wednesday but pinch-hit for Rice in the bottom of the seventh and popped to left.Rice has continued to work at catcher throughout the season, and Boone said he could be in the mix, along with fellow lefty-swingers Austin Wells and J.C.

Escarra.The Red Sox might have dealt Rafael Devers to the Giants in a huge deal before most of the baseball world expected the trade market to develop, but that doesn’t mean Brian Cashman believes it will still take some time for other moves to be made.Asked if the market may begin to move in the wake of the Red Sox shipping the unhappy Devers out of Boston, Cashman said, “Not yet.Those days are coming sooner than later.” Typically, teams like to get past the amateur draft before they turn their full attention to the trade market, and the draft doesn’t begin until July 13.Asked for his thoughts on the Devers deal, Cashman only said it was “huge.”“I’m worried about us,’’ Cashman said after taking part in a HOPE Week charity event Wednesday to raise funds for The Valerie Fund, which helps pediatric cancer patients, survivors...