TODAY: Blake and the Yankees have agreed to a new contract covering the 2027-29 seasons, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
OCTOBER 23: The Yankees are expected to work out a new contract with pitching coach Matt Blake, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. His deal was set to expire at the end of the year.
Blake has been New York’s pitching coach since 2020. He’d been with the organization previously as a scout, before joining the Guardians as a minor league pitching coordinator in 2016. Blake was bumped up to assistant director of player development in 2017, a role he held through the 2019 season. His work in the Guardians system led to a big-league gig with the Yankees.
New York had to navigate several major injuries in the rotation this season. Gerrit Cole began the year on the IL as he recovered from elbow surgery. The same goes for Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodon. Max Fried dealt with elbow issues multiple times during the regular season. The club added Ryan Weathers in an offseason trade with the Marlins. The lefty helped stabilize the back of the rotation until Cole and Rodon returned. Weathers was lost to a flexor strain near the end of August.
With the veterans shuffling on and off the IL, there was a vacancy atop the rotation. Cam Schlittler assumed the ace role and delivered an AL Cy Young-worthy campaign. The 25-year-old righty led the American League with a 1.95 ERA. Schlittler allowed two earned runs or fewer in 27 of 33 starts. He was dominant in a win over the Red Sox in the Wild Card round, but was let down by his defense in the ALDS against the Rays.
The Yankees did not lean on trades and big free agent signings in the bullpen this season. Instead, Blake and company were able to produce strong performances from unheralded arms. Lefty Brent Headrick posted a 2.18 ERA across 81 appearances. Only Mason Fluharty of the Blue Jays was used more frequently than Headrick. Veteran starter Paul Blackburn returned to New York’s bullpen after a brief cameo in 2025. With a bump in velocity and an increase in changeup usage, he emerged as one of the most trusted members of the bullpen. Among pitchers who tossed at least 80 innings, Blackburn led the way with a 1.59 ERA. Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill also put together solid years in front of steady closer David Bednar.
The rotation will look exactly the same in 2027, assuming good health. Weathers will battle Will Warren for the No. 5 starter spot. The bullpen is in flux. Bednar, Blackburn, Hill, and Ryan Yarbrough are free agents. Cruz has a partially torn UCL and his status for next season is uncertain. The Yankees will likely be players in the relief market this winter.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
