In addition to adding Gerrit Cole this offseason, the Yankees made another major change to their pitching staff: hiring pitching analytics guru Matt Blake to be the club’s new pitching coach, replacing Larry Rothschild. The Yankees had a few success stories under Rothschild, but there appeared to be some disconnect between his philosophy and his pitchers late in his tenure—just ask Sonny Gray. As such, Rothschild was let go after the season having never made it to a World Series in his nine years with the club.
The Yankees gave Blake the shiniest toy imaginable with Cole, perhaps the best pitcher in the American League.