Yankees' offseason overhaul begins as three coaches dismissed from Aaron Boone's staff

NEW YORK – Three coaches paid for the Yankees’ entire pratfall of 2021, beginning as a World Series favorite and ending as a one-and-done wild card entry.

Third base coach Phil Nevin, hitting coach Marcus Thames and his assistant P.J. Pilittere were jettisoned from Aaron Boone’s staff, and the manager has yet to officially have his expiring contract extended.

Of course, dismissing these coaches – as first reported Thursday by The Athletic - does not come close to the core issues of the Yankees’ underachievement.

“This is not an Aaron Boone problem, and this is not a coaching staff problem,’’ GM Brian Cashman said in late June, his club about to bottom out at .500. “They’re doing what they need to do but we’re not getting the results we need.

“They’ve got my support. We’re in this together,’’ Cashman added. “I’m the head of baseball operations, so that falls more on me than them.’’

And that part hasn’t changed.

Changing strategy

Any big overhaul should begin with a frank reevaluation of the Yankees’ roster building and player development philosophies.

Because, from roughly the time of Cashman’s “this is not a coaching staff problem’’ comments, the Yankees – 41-41 at the halfway mark – went 51-29, which reinforced the GM’s assessment.

At the same midseason point, managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said “the majority of the blame lies with’’ the players. “They’re the ones on the field.’’

Yankees management has a right to alter its course, swap out staff and bring in new voices at any time, for any reason.

And maybe part of that reason is a shot across the bow at Boone, who will have no job security beyond 2022 – regardless of the extension he signs, assuming he is re-signed – if things bottom out again.

Maybe you wanted Boone out, too, though he did manage a struggling and disjointed team into the tournament – though it was over in an eyeblink.

The grades are in:How the 2021 Yankees fared on their final report card

Forced out 

Nevin’s departure is a personal hit to Boone, who has had a longstanding friendship with the former No. 1 draft pick, selected by the Houston Astros ahead of Derek Jeter.

Nevin's send of Aaron Judge, resulting in an out at the plate in the wild card game at Fenway Park – a 6-2 Red Sox win – completed a season of questionable decisions in key moments.

But those choices, which publicly define third base coaches, were not primary reasons for not renewing Nevin’s contract.

On its surface, the more analytically-driven Yankees coaches – namely pitching coach Matt Blake – have not been impacted by this purge.

The increasing influence of analytic data in the hitter’s meetings has also had its impact.

Despite the players’ affinity for Thames and Pilittere, their willingness to do extra work and ability to break down video and pitchers’ tendencies, the Yankees’ loaded lineup did not produce.

With a healthy Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees finished 10th in the league in runs scored, 11th in total bases and grounded into more double plays than any other AL team.

Crisis of upper management

Knocking off a trusted companion on the Yankee manager’s coaching staff is nothing new.

It happened before the 2009 season, when Cashman axed third base coach Bobby Meacham – a close confidante of Joe Girardi – after Girardi’s subpar initial season.

So, Nevin goes, the hitting coaches go, but the organization’s stubbornness on collecting hit-or-miss sluggers – Joey Gallo being their latest – remains currently intact.

Meanwhile, the contenders in their own division possess more diverse, athletic lineups and enough pitching to keep the Yankees home again while they go deeper into October.

For a fourth straight year, Boone and his coaches ultimately did not guide a pennant contender to a World Series and there might be more consequences for that. 

But upper management owns this dilemma, the game's most expensive flop. 

Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Yankees analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: caldera@northjersey.com Twitter: @pcaldera