Yankees News: Surprise name gets manager interview, hitting coach, Vlad Guerrero Jr.

According to the latest update, one underappreciated New York Yankees coach could be headed back where he came from.

After two years serving as the Yankees' hitting coach, James Rowson is reportedly under consideration to replace Rocco Baldelli as manager of the Minnesota Twins. Rowson has significant ties to both organizations. Though his hiring in the Bronx was directly preceded by a stint as the Detroit Tigers' assistant hitting coach, he led the Twins' offensive efforts from 2017 through 2019, presiding over the power-dominant Bomba Squad in 2019. The Mount Vernon, NY native was also the Yankees' minor-league hitting coordinator from 2006-2011.

Rowson being tapped for interviews comes as a surprise, despite the Yankees' top-ranked offense in many respects (first in wRC+ and OPS) since his arrival. It's tough to give Rowson credit for Juan Soto's excellence. It's also been difficult to overlook the offensive approach's lack of success in October, as well as during prolonged summer dry spells in both of his seasons at the helm. Most criticisms of the current Yankees offense involve their feasts against low-level competition, followed by famines against the league's very best.

Yankees News: James Rowson poised for possible promotion

One has to imagine Rowson will be asked about how he balances the optics with the counting stats, though folks in Minnesota already know him very well, and like what they see.

Yankees hitting assistant Pat Roessler moving on to pave path for promotion

Rowson's potential departure has led to a further shakeup on the offensive side of the ball, as hitting coordinator Jake Hirst has been promoted to the big club after working with essentially the entire current wave of young Yankees throughout his time in the minors.

According to Andy Martino, Hirst's promotion comes with a potential reassignment - non-performance-based - for veteran assistant and target of Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s arm bites Pat Roessler. The organization would reportedly like to retain Roessler in some capacity.

Yankees News: Vladimir Guerrero's struggles have defined the ALCS

Meanwhile, the team that just dispatched of the Yankees and made their postseason offense look pitiful has some explaining to do themselves.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. "gets up" for the Yankees. It's just a fact. Carrying the disrespect once worn by his father after the Yankees shirked his contract offer and added Gary Sheffield instead in 2004, Guerrero Jr.'s coup de grace featured a .529 average, three bombs, and a superstar stamp in the ALDS last week. His efforts culminated with crowing, "Daaaaa YANKEES LOSE!" live on FOX with Big Papi, a clip that was used in the Blue Jays' hype video for ... the next round.

Talk smack however you want, of course, but if you go the brash route, you'd better back it up. Thus far, the Jays are not doing a great job of rebutting the "obsessed with the Yankees" allegations. To make matters worse, Guerrero Jr. is 0-for-7 through Toronto's first two home defeats. Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho? 1-for-14 combined.

If the Jays don't want to cement the ALDS as their personal World Series, they'll need a Game 3 win over George Kirby in Seattle on Wednesday night. First pitch is at 8:08 PM ET.