Yankees agree to 3-year extension with pitching coach Blake (report)

The Yankees have agreed to a three-year contract with pitching coach Matt Blake, according to a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. The club hasn’t confirmed the agreement.

Blake, 41, has been the Yankees’ pitching coach since they hired him in November 2019, succeeding Larry Rothschild in the role. Blake’s previous contract was due to expire after the 2026 World Series.

Blake had no Major League coaching experience when the Yankees hired him, but his analytical background and progressive pitching philosophies made him an appealing candidate as the club looked to modernize its pitching development. He had previously worked at Cressey Sports Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and in the Cleveland Guardians’ system.

Blake spent three seasons as Cleveland’s assistant director of player development, overseeing the formation of pitching strategy for the organization. He was promoted to director of pitching development for Cleveland shortly before being hired as the Yankees’ pitching coach.

The Yankees have had one of baseball’s top pitching staffs during Blake’s tenure, ranking third in ERA (3.69) and tied for seventh in FIP (3.94) from 2020-26.

While the Bronx Bombers have spent big in free agency to acquire established starters such as Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, they’ve also excelled at turning unheralded arms into reliable bullpen contributors and developing young starters such as Cam Schlittler, the favorite to win this year’s American League Cy Young Award.

Blake’s new deal is the latest move in the Yankees’ effort to keep their leadership group intact going into 2027. Longtime general manager Brian Cashman recently ​agreed to a new contract as well, and manager Aaron Boone will be back for the final year on his current deal.