Yankees sign pitching coach Matt Blake to 3-year contract extension

The New York Yankees finished 4.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and lost a three-game sweep to the Rays in the AL division series.

Yet team ownership and the front office seems intent on running back with much of the same personnel next season, at least on the management and coaching side. Manager Aaron Boone will return, as will general manager Brian Cashman, amid criticism for falling short of World Series expectations despite carrying the highest payroll in the AL at a projected $310 million.

Pitching coach Matt Blake will also return, reportedly agreeing to a three-year contract extension, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Blake, 41, was hired as the Yankees' pitching coach before the 2019 season and has been in that role ever since. He had no MLB coaching experience prior to joining Boone's staff, working as the Cleveland Guardians' assistant director of player development, then director of pitching development. Blake's contract was set to expire after the World Series.

The Yankees' pitching staff was excellent this season under Blake's overview. Led by likely AL Cy Young Award winner Cam Schlittler (1.95 ERA, 11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings), in addition to starters Gerrit Cole (3.61 ERA), Max Fried (2.80) and Carlos Rodón (2.67), New York ranked first in MLB with a 3.23 team ERA and allowed an AL-best opponents' batting average of .224.

Yankees relievers also finished near the top of MLB, ranking second with a collective 3.13 ERA. Right-hander David Bednar finished with a 2.47 ERA and 35 saves, while setup men Paul Blackburn (1.69 ERA) and Brent Headrick (2.18, 11.1 Ks/9) frequently ensured that the Yankees had a lead to protect in the ninth inning.

However, Bednar and Blackburn are free agents, as are Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough.

"I can't say anything bad about the pitching staff, despite the injuries," said Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, via The Athletic. "They were consistent and tremendous all year long, and they were the reason that we made the playoffs."

"Certainly, the way we pitched this year felt like, from that standpoint, we had the ingredients to win a championship," Boone said earlier in the week. "And that's part of the disappointment."

Steinbrenner also praised Boone's handling of the pitching staff in announcing that he would return as manager next season.

"I thought Boone managed a good season, especially with the pitching staff," said Steinbrenner. "He got us to the playoffs, and the bottom-line is the players didn't live up to their end of the bargain in the playoffs."