The Yankees may be staring at a real shakeup on Aaron Boone’s staff, with bench coach Brad Ausmus in the mix for the Astros’ managerial opening.
Jon Heyman reported that Ausmus was in Houston on Thursday, the day before Randy Flores was announced as the new general manager. Ausmus has spent the last three seasons as Boone’s bench coach in New York, but Houston is a familiar place for him in more ways than one.
He played 10 of his 18 MLB seasons with the Astros, and that connection has kept him on the organization’s radar before. Ausmus interviewed for Houston’s managerial job in 2020 before the Astros hired Dusty Baker, and he was also a finalist for the general manager position before Dana Brown was hired ahead of the 2023 season.
From Houston’s side, the appeal is obvious. Joe Espada’s contract was not renewed after three seasons, and the Astros are now looking for a new manager.
Ausmus brings prior big-league managing experience, having led the Tigers from 2014-17 and the Angels in 2019. His combined record in those jobs was 386-422.
For the Yankees, this is another offseason item to watch. Ausmus has been an important part of Boone’s staff, helping with preparation and in-game decisions, and his background as both a catcher and a manager gives him a different lens in the dugout. If he leaves for Houston, it would be a meaningful loss for New York.
It would not be the only staff issue the Yankees have to sort through, either. Several coaches are on expiring contracts, so Ausmus is just one piece of a broader evaluation. Still, losing a bench coach to a managerial job would be a notable change for Boone and the Yankees as the hiring cycle keeps moving.
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