Yankees hire Brad Ausmus to replace Carlos Mendoza as bench coach
Then-Angels manager Brad Ausmus watches during the sixth inning of a game against the Tigers in Detroit on May 7, 2019. Credit: AP/Paul Sancya
The Yankees on Tuesday hired former catcher and manager Brad Ausmus to be Carlos Mendoza’s replacement as bench coach.
Ausmus, 54, was a 48th-round draft pick of the Yankees in 1987, but never played in the majors for the club during his 18-year career.
Ausmus has managerial experience with the Tigers (2014-17) and Angels (2019). His most recent job was as the bench coach for the A’s in 2022.
Mendoza left Aaron Boone’s side to become the Mets manager earlier this month. Ausmus becomes the third bench coach during Boone’s tenure. Josh Bard had the role from 2018-19 before Mendoza took over.
Ausmus is the only one of the Boone bench coach trio with big-league managing experience, which would make him a possible candidate to replace Boone if the Yankees get off to a slow start in 2024. That’s the final year of Boone’s contract.
General manager Brian Cashman has never fired a manager during the season. But he had never fired a coach during the season, either, before letting go of hitting coach Dillon Lawson in July.
Lawson was replaced by Sean Casey, who decided not to return in 2024. Last week, the Yankees hired James Rowson as their latest hitting coach.
Ausmus went 314-332 with Detroit, with a 90-72 record and a postseason berth in his first season. He went 72-90 in his only season as the Angels manager after being hired by then-general manager Billy Eppler.
Ausmus managed Team Israel in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and was Team Israel’s bench coach in the 2023 WBC. He has also spent time in the front offices of the Padres and Angels.
As a player, Ausmus won three Gold Gloves and hit .251 with four clubs. The New Haven, Connecticut, native attended Dartmouth College while playing in the Yankees’ minor league system. He was selected by Colorado in the 1992 expansion draft.
Yankees sign reliever
The Yankees signed former Pirates righthander Yerry De Los Santos to a minor-league contract, according to a post on X by his agents at Epitome Sports Management. The Yankees generally do not announce minor-league signings until the end of the offseason. De Los Santos, 25, was 1-4 with a 4.14 ERA in 48 games for Pittsburgh over the last two seasons.
Mets sign reliever
The Mets on Monday announced the signing of righthander Cole Sulser to a minor-league contract. Sulser, 33, was 7-13, 3.87 for four teams over the last five seasons. He appeared in four games for Arizona in 2023.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
