NEW YORK -- The Yankees' next manager could bring a new-look coaching staff into the dugout for the 2018 season, as general manager Brian Cashman informed the other 29 Major League clubs last week that they are free to contact members of the current staff for any position.
The message was sent via an industry-wide e-mail, after it was announced that the Yankees had decided to part ways with manager Joe Girardi after 10 seasons at the helm. The contracts for all members of the coaching staff expired on Tuesday.
Third-base coach Joe Espada was the first to move. He was hired by the Astros to be their bench coach, succeeding Alex Cora, who is the new manager of the Red Sox. Espada, 42, completed his third season as the Yankees' third-base coach this year.
Hitting coach Alan Cockrell, bullpen coach Mike Harkey, first-base coach Tony Pena, pitching coach Larry Rothschild, assistant hitting coach Marcus Thames and bench coach Rob Thomson could also be seeking new employment. Of that group, only Harkey had been a choice of Girardi's, with the other hires having been made by management.
Pena and Thomson have seen their names circulated as potential candidates for the Yankees' manager post. Meanwhile, Yankees vice president of baseball operations Tim Naehring has removed his name from consideration, telling ESPN that he is not interested in a managerial post at this time.
A former big league infielder for eight seasons with the Red Sox, Naehring has earned a reputation as one of Cashman's most trusted lieutenants. Cashman credits Naehring, among others, with having pushed for the trade that obtained shortstop Didi Gregorius prior to the 2015 season.
Should the Yankees make a change at the hitting-coach position, it is possible that they could pursue a reunion with Kevin Long, who was ousted from that job after the 2014 season. Long interviewed for the Mets' managerial job but was passed over in favor of Mickey Callaway, who had been the Indians' pitching coach.