Over the last few seasons, the New York Yankees have overhauled a large portion of their coaching staff. Following the 2019 campaign, they added Matt Blake to modernize the team’s pitching regimen, a move that has seemingly paid off, as the 2021 Yankees pitching staff defied preseason skepticism to finish second in the AL in fWAR, third in ERA, and fifth in runs/game. They carried an underwhelming offense to a playoff spot, even on the final day of the regular season: a 1-0 victory.
Right as Blake came aboard, Eric Cressey rewrote the team’s strength and conditioning program, and two seasons later — around the time that these types of changes begin to have an effect — Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton had their healthiest seasons in years.