As the Yankees prepared for south-pawed Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, Aaron Boone didn’t leave any wiggle room when asked about the righty-swinging Paul Goldschmidt starting over the lefty-swinging Ben Rice at first base.

“Goldie is going to play against every lefty we face,” Boone said Tuesday before Goldschmidt went 2-for-4 in a 3-1 loss . “That’s a pretty easy call.”

But with the Yankees facing another lefty, Connelly Early, in a do-or-die Game 3 and Rice, who can also catch, hitting a two-run homer in the Yankees’ 4-3 Game 2 win , Boone decided to sit Goldschmidt on Thursday.

When asked why he changed his stance, the skipper replied, “Ben Rice.”

“Obviously, I want Goldie in there, just because he’s been such a presence against lefties, but I a

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