Yankees Mailbag: Evaluating Catcher Roles and National League Dominance

This Yahoo Sports mailbag column addresses key questions regarding the New York Yankees and broader Major League Baseball trends. First, it analyzes whether manager Aaron Boone should increase playing time for catcher J.C. Escarra due to Austin Wells' offensive struggles. The author argues against this change, highlighting Wells' elite pitch-framing abilities, which rank in the 97th percentile and significantly benefit the Yankees' pitching staff. Statistically, Escarra's limited sample size shows poor performance with a 47 wRC+ and high strikeout rate, whereas Wells maintains a more passable 70 wRC+ and superior walk rate. The second part of the article examines the recent shift in power balance, noting that the National League currently appears stronger and deeper than the American League. Interleague play records support this observation, with most NL teams holding winning or even records against AL opponents. The author suggests that the introduction of the full-time designated hitter in the NL and a more balanced scheduling format have revealed previously overlooked strengths in National League rosters, challenging the media bias that has favored AL teams over the last decade.