NEW YORK – The Yankees are set to hire Brad Ausmus to replace Carlos Mendoza as bench coach for manager Aaron Boone, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Ausmus’ hiring had not been announced.
Ausmus managed Detroit from 2014-17 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2019, winning the AL Central at 90-72 in his first season with the Tigers before Baltimore swept Detroit in a Division Series.
Now 54, Ausmus spent 2022 as the Oakland Athletics’ bench coach for manager Bob Melvin.
Mendoza had been the Yankees’ bench coach for four seasons when he left on Nov. 13 to manage the New York Mets. Ausmus will become the third bench coach for Boone, who started with Josh Bard as his bench coach in 2018-19.
The Yankees went 82-80 this season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Ausmus began his professional career with the Yankees organization after New York selected him in the 48th round of the 1987 amateur draft. A Dartmouth graduate who attended college while still in the minor leagues, he was taken by Colorado in the expansion draft ahead of the 1993 season. Ausmus was traded to San Diego and made his major league debut on July 28, 1993.
Ausmus hit .251 with 80 homers and 607 RBIs in 18 seasons for the Padres (1993-96), Detroit (1996, 1999-2000) and Houston (1997-98, 2001-08). He has a 386-422 record as a manager.
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