Yankees make pitching guru Matt Blake a clear priority ahead of offseason transition

While the New York Yankees' offense looked concerning throughout their ALDS loss to the Rays, most fans are far less worried about the club's pitching staff these days. Even a bullpen that was carelessly constructed managed to hold up all year long, thanks in part to Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake, who continues to receive nothing but rave reviews while donning pinstripes.

Holding his role since the 2020 season, Blake has been excellent while presiding over a staff that's ranked third in MLB in ERA during that period. 2026 has been a particularly masterful season from Blake. The Yankees led the majors with a 3.23 team ERA and finished in the top 10 in both strikeout rate and ground-ball rate.

Under Blake's watch, young arms like Cam Schlittler, Ryan Weathers, and Will Warren have markedly improved (Schlittler's in a different tier altogether, of course). Meanwhile, Blake has overseen continued success from veterans Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Gerrit Cole, the latter two of whom had to be managed shrewdly while returning from injury this season.

Then there's the Yankees' 2026 bullpen, which finished second in MLB behind the Boston Red Sox with a 3.15 ERA for the season. Brent Headrick became a reliever star, and Paul Blackburn turned into exactly what the Yankees needed him to be (and what he's never been for anyone else).

It seems like Blake can ace whatever project comes his way, whether it's keeping established arms healthy and productive, rehabilitating guys' careers, or developing young talent. It's no wonder the Yankees are reportedly making the retention of Blake a priority.

Yankees reportedly want to re-sign pitching coach Matt Blake this offseason

New York Post's Jon Heyman reported on October 3 that the Yankees want to bring Blake back. Blake's second consecutive three-year deal with New York expires after the season, and it sounds like the Yankees don't want to waste much time putting together a new deal. Heyman even suggested that Blake has a chance to get a seven-figure contract from the Yankees, which isn't surprising if you consider how sought-after Blake would be if he hit the open market.

The Yankees are smart to want to keep Blake in-house, especially considering that they're in the middle of a contention window. Why mix things up for Fried, Cole, and Rodón, and bring in a brand new voice that everyone has to get acclimated to all over again?

Moreover, the ongoing development of Schlittler, Weathers, Warren, and other young arms like Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange would surely suffer if Blake departed. Simply put, Blake's been a massive part of any success the Yankees have had during the Aaron Boone era. He should be kept around at virtually whatever cost it takes.

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