Yankees Start Staff Reshuffle After October Exit

Following an early postseason exit at the hands of the division rival Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Yankees have decided to shake up manager Aaron Boone‘s staff ahead of the 2026 campaign.

The first change was parting ways with their first base coach and infield coordinator, Travis Chapman. Chapman has been on the Yankees’ major league staff since 2022. The Yankees’ infield ranked number 1 in Major League Baseball in defensive runs saved when Chapman first started in 2022, with a decline to 11th/12th in the three seasons that followed. The Yankees’ defense has also been a prominent topic of discussion over the past year, following the collapse in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, with the troubling numbers remaining similar in 2025. The writing was on the wall after Boone, who is normally calm with players and personnel, had a heated altercation in the dugout with Chapman after Jazz Chisholm Jr.‘s baserunning error on a popup resulted in a double play in August.

Aaron Boone was very frustrated with first base coach Travis Chapman after that Chisholm play pic.twitter.com/VlyyxTGxr9

— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 2, 2025

The second change, and most shocking, is the departure of long-time bullpen coach Mike Harkey. Harkey was a staple of the Yankees staff since 2008 (with a brief break from 2013-2016) and was the last remaining uniformed member of the 2009 championship team. The Yankee bullpen was a big issue for the team this season, and it seems like it’s time for a fresh, possibly younger voice in the bullpen. Harkey told SNY’s Andy Martino in a text message on Tuesday, “Had a great 16 years and I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had with the Yankee organization! I wish them nothing but the best !!”

The Yankees are also elevating minor league hitting coach Jake Hirst to the major league staff, moving longtime favorite, and Jazz’s bite buddy, Pat Roessler, to a different role within the organization. Hirst is very highly regarded throughout the Yankee organization. He has experience working with some of the Yankees’ young players when they were at their best in the minors, like Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, Ben Rice, Jasson Dominguez, and Spencer Jones, among others.

According to the New York Post, the Yankees received a request from the Minnesota Twins to interview hitting coach James Rowson for their open managerial position, following the firing of Rocco Baldelli after a 70-92 record. Additionally, Andy Martino of SNY reported that Luis Rojas, third base coach and former manager of the New York Mets, is interviewing for the managerial vacancy in Baltimore.

Sources indicated late yesterday that more moves could be coming, seemingly pending the outcome of the managerial searches across the league. Pitching coach Matt Blake and catching coach Tanner Swanson are likely to have their club options picked up. The contracts of Luis Rojas and bench coach Brad Ausmus have expired, with no word on either’s status.

Main Photo Credit: © Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK