Report: Yanks part with hitting coach Pentland

NEW YORK -- The Yankees are preparing to search for their third hitting coach in three seasons, having parted ways with Jeff Pentland, the New York Post reported Sunday.

Pentland, 69, said that general manager Brian Cashman informed him this week that he would not be returning.

"I am not coming back," Pentland told the newspaper. "When I signed, I was told it was probably a one-year deal. That was always in the back of my mind, but we didn't look too good the last month. It's the Yankees, that's the best way to describe it. I have no regrets."

New York scored 764 runs and hit 212 home runs this season, their highest totals in both categories since 2012, but the club slumped offensively in September and were blanked in the American League Wild Card game by Dallas Keuchel and the Astros.

According to the report, the Yankees will also part ways with bullpen and catching coach Gary Tuck. Earlier this season, Brian McCann credited Tuck with helping him greatly behind the plate, calling him a "top of his game" coach.

Pentland said that he had a challenge in following Kevin Long, who was dismissed by the Yankees after the 2014 season with a year remaining on his contract and has helped to guide the Mets to the playoffs.

"I remember going to Spring Training, and I felt if Kevin [Long] couldn't do it, I knew it wasn't an easy job," said Pentland, who has also served as a hitting coach with the Marlins, Cubs, Royals, Mariners and Dodgers.

Long said Sunday at Citi Field that he had no hard feelings toward the Yankees organization, and was satisfied that his Mets were now playing the Cubs in the National League Championship Series.

"I gave the players everything I had and gave the organization everything I had," Long said. "At the end of the day, I was satisfied about the work I did. Sometimes it's not going to be enough. In Pent's case, I don't know what the story there was, but I'm sorry he lost his job."

Alan Cockrell, who served as Pentland's assistant hitting coach this past season, could be a candidate to take over the position. Minor League coaches James Rowson and Marcus Thames may also be interviewed.

Others on the coaching staff with contracts set to expire are bench coach Rob Thomson and first-base coach Tony Pena.