Yankees Reportedly Named Ex-Red Sox Slugger As New Hitting Coach

The player-turned-analyst can now add New York Yankees ‘coach’ to his résumé.

In the midst of a fight for an American League Wild Card spot, The Yankees grabbed a former Boston Red Sox first baseman to bolster their coaching staff.

Ahead of the Major League Baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, reports broke that the Yankees may go with a well-known candidate to be their next hitting coach — which was then confirmed just minutes thereafter.

“Sean Casey will indeed be the Yankees’ next hitting coach,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal tweeted Monday.

Casey spent his last year in the majors with the Red Sox during the 2008 season, in which he had a .322 batting average and 14 extra-base hits in the 69 games he played.

Casey’s hiring came after the club announced the now-former hitting coach, Dillon Lawson, was fired Sunday night following a loss to the Chicago Cubs.

One of the most prominent reasons for Lawson’s dismissal was the highly-touted rookie Anthony Volpe’s struggles to start off the season, who has picked it up as of late but is only slashing .216 with 13 extra-base hits and 13 home runs across 91 games played. Top catching prospect Austin Wells was responsible for fixing Volpes’ swing, not Lawson.

Casey will have some work to do following the All-Star Break as the Yankees are hitting .231 which ranks No. 28 of all 30 MLB teams, and have lost six of their last 10.

The Yankees only have a one-game lead over the Red Sox and are subsequently one game out of a Wild-Card spot.