Aaron Boone is turning to a surprising leadoff option for Yankees

Aaron Boone is grasping for straws to help the Yankees snap out of their recent slump. That's why he's making a seismic shift at the top of the team's batting order. Anthony Volpe is being dropped in favor of rookie Ben Rice for the team's July 4 matchup against the Reds.

The rookie left-handed bat isn't the ideal leadoff hitter. He lacks the speed that Volpe possesses to terrorize opponents on the basepaths. What Rice does have is a patient eye at the plate that can help set the table ahead of sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

This move would not have taken place without a protracted slump by the team and Volpe. The team has undergone a malaise over the last few weeks that puts them in danger of giving up control of the AL East to the upstart Orioles. It's too early for panic in the Bronx but larger changes are on the horizon if the team doesn't start playing better baseball soon.

Aaron Boone's Yankees lineup says a lot about Anthony Volpe and Ben Rice

It's a big statement of faith in Rice. He's raised his stock with the organization more than anyone else this season. Rice entered the campaign as a mid-level prospect in the minors. Now he seems poised to keep his everyday place in New York's lineup even when first baseman Anthony Rizzo returns to the roster from his stint on the Injured List.

The ramifications on Volpe's long-term future with the Yankees are pretty minor. He's a good bet to bring out of his recent slump once the pressure of being the leadoff man is lifted from his shoulders. It's possible that Boone might conclude he will be better served hitting elsewhere in the order for the rest of this year, but he still profiles as a top of the order bat for New York in the long haul.

Time will tell whether or not this is a substantive change for the Yankees or just something Boone kicks the tires on for a short period of time. It's clearly designed to give the team a much-needed boost of energy to lift their level of play. If Rice seizes the opportunity it will bode well for his long-term tenure with the franchise.