The Yankees’ coaching picture may already be pointing beyond Aaron Boone, and Joe Espada keeps coming up as the name to watch.
Boone is expected to keep his job through at least Opening Day 2027, barring a stunning turn. But with Brad Ausmus leaving the staff for the Houston Astros this fall, the Yankees now have a vacancy that could open the door for a familiar face with Astros ties.
Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reported Thursday morning that Espada “is the front-runner in the Bronx” to replace Ausmus. Klapisch also wrote, “According to one source familiar with the Yankees’ thinking, Espada’s hiring is inevitable.
The source requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the situation,” and added, “Espada is smart, articulate and well-liked. Espada could also end up being the Yankees’ manager someday.”
Espada already knows the Yankees’ dugout. He worked as the club’s bench coach from 2015 through the 2017 season before moving to Houston in the fall of ’17. The Astros later promoted him to manager in the fall of 2023, but his run ended after three seasons, with Houston going 0-4 in postseason play under his watch before parting ways with him.
Boone’s own future has been a talking point for a while. Reports indicated that one reason he stayed on after the Yankees were knocked out by the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series was uncertainty tied to the upcoming lockout, which is scheduled to begin on Dec.
- Even so, Boone is under contract only through the 2027 season, and that part of the situation does not appear likely to change this winter.
The pressure around Boone has been building for a simple reason: since 2018 through this past season, he has guided the Yankees to one World Series appearance and no championships. That has made him a target for fans pushing for change, even if that change was never coming this fall.
As Klapisch put it, “Chances are that Espada’s next in line for Ausmus’ job and maybe Boone’s, too.”
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