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The Yankees have parted ways with manager Joe Girardi, as first reported by David Kaplan of ESPN 1000. Girardi’s contract expired after the season.
“With a heavy heart, I come to you because the Yankees have decided not to bring me back.”—statement from Joe Girardi #Yankees
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) October 26, 2017
Girardi, 53, led the Yankees to a 91-71 record and an ALCS berth in his tenth and final season with the club in 2017. He was thought to be likely to return to the Bronx for an eleventh campaign after the club’s surprising playoff run but will not return after meeting with general manager Brian Cashman on Thursday.
Girardi departs the Yankees with an overall 910-710 record, having won a World Series as the team’s manager in 2009. He owns four World Series rings as a player and manager, having won three titles with the Yankees as a player in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
New York is the sixth team to make a managerial change this fall, joining the Red Sox, Nationals, Tigers, Mets and Phillies. Washington and Philadelphia still have vacancies, with Girardi thought to be a candidate to take over the Nationals if he is interested in managing somewhere in 2018.
Girardi spent 15 years in the majors as a catcher with the Cubs, Rockies, Yankees and Cardinals before spending a couple of years as a broadcaster and taking over as Marlins manager in 2006. He was fired after that season despite winning National League Manager of the Year and took over as the Yankees skipper in October 2007.
The Yankees are likely to hire a manager from outside the organization, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman, so Mets hitting coach Kevin Long and ex-Yankee Raul Ibanez could be candidates. If the club does look internally, minor-league managers Al Pedrique and Josh Paul as well as specialty hitting coach Reggie Willits may get some consideration.