Blake Back? Yankees Want Pitching Coach to Return

General manager Brian Cashman wants to bring his pitching coach back in 2023.

Aaron Judge isn't the only star that could leave the Yankees in free agency this offseason.

Pitching coach Matt Blake, a prominent figure in the recent success of New York's pitching staff, is available on the open market after his contract expired at the conclusion of the 2022 season. 

Blake wrapped up his third season at the helm in 2022, leading New York's arms to another stellar regular season. The Yankees posted a 3.30 ERA this year, the third-lowest mark in Major League Baseball. New York had a 3.72 ERA in 2021, sixth-best in the sport. 

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was asked about Blake's future during his end-of-season press conference earlier this month, insisting that he'd like to bring the pitching guru back for 2023 and beyond.

"That's our hope," Cashman said. "I think Matt's done a great job. Like anything else with your coaches, you want them to have great knowledge and the ability to share that knowledge and build trust with their players and impact them in a positive way and give the player a choice if you do this or try that, good things may follow. I think he basically builds a great relationship with these guys. He's got a great demeanor, or bedside manner, whatever you want to call it, and he's got a lot of knowledge that you can share. So it's really worked well for us."

It seems like the interest in a reunion is mutual. Blake told Dan Martin of the New York Post shortly after New York was eliminated from postseason contention in October that he'd "love to be back."

"But I have to talk to them," Blake said. 

Blake was unsurprisingly intrigued when Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson left to take the same job at LSU, a swap that included a significant raise.

"Anytime you see someone in a similar skill-set go and do something like that you say, ‘Interesting,’” Blake told Martin back in July. “You see the market moving."

Cashman went on to praise the other coaches on New York's big-league staff as well, mentioning bullpen coach Mike Harkey and assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel. 

MORE:

• Yankees Hope Aaron Hicks Can Bounce Back Next Season
• Hal Steinbrenner Calls End of Yankees' Season 'Unacceptable'
• With Aaron Judge Available, Giants Boast Spending Capabilities

Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.