Just a couple of days ago, Yankees’ owner Hal Steinbrenner made it clear and said, “Now, I was disappointed, quite frankly, with the offense throughout the course of the year as a whole, even though there were some bright spots.” Coaching changes typically follow postseason failure; Steinbrenner’s public criticism signals potential moves.
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And now he has come out and doubled down on it, and reports from Pinstripes Nation say, “Hitting coach James Rowson and assistants Casey Dykes and Jake Hirst face scrutiny after Hal Steinbrenner singled out the offense,” and they might be in the hot seat.
The Yankees scored 739 runs (tied for 9th in the league) during the regular season, and they scored only 5 runs across 3 ALDS games against Tampa Bay. That collapse followed a Wild Card sweep, when they scored 18 runs against Boston. Yes, injuries to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton did play a big role, but several regular starters also failed.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ryan McMahon, Austin Wells and Trent Grisham were the clear examples of this failure. And their numbers help explain why Steinbrenner wants the offense reviewed from top to bottom.
Chisholm batted .231 with 19 HR and 55 RBIs, falling short of his 50-50 season prediction. His .711 OPS showed that his overall production had dropped, and that is why, despite his speed, we saw him get dropped from the lineup several times. Against Tampa Bay, Chisholm went hitless in 8 at-bats and did not drive in a single run.
Ryan McMahon also struggled, batting .213 with 11 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .635 OPS. He managed only 1 hit in 7 ALDS at-bats, offering little help as the Yankees searched for rallies without Aaron Judge in the lineup. Both players were regulars in the lineup and were expected to give quality at-bats. Instead, their bats went quiet when the Yankees had little room for mistakes.
Wells endured a difficult regular season, hitting .186 with 14 home runs and a .624 OPS. However, Wells became one of the few bright spots in the postseason, batting .333 in 15 at-bats. He collected 5 hits and drove in 4 runs, so his postseason should not be grouped with everyone else’s.
Trent Grisham hit just .211 with 18 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .703 OPS during 2026 after signing a $22.025 million qualifying offer. He went hitless in 11 ALDS at-bats and struck out 5 times against the Rays. His power never translated into timely hits throughout the season when the Yankees needed baserunners.
There is no official announcement about any changes; those results have put James Rowson and his assistants under pressure as Steinbrenner considers changes for 2027. Steinbrenner said the lineup had failed to meet expectations in consecutive seasons and promised a broad review.
Rowson is the Yankees’ hitting coach, while Casey Dykes and Jake Hirst serve as assistants. Dykes has worked on the major-league staff since 2022, and Hirst joined in 2026. The group oversaw an offense that fell from 849 runs in 2025 to 739 in 2026. The Yankees also hit .235 as a team and struck out 1,480 times during the regular season. Those numbers make it difficult to dismiss the owner’s concerns as frustration after postseason defeat.
Rowson’s coaching history gives the Yankees reasons to consider both his successes and the recent decline. He worked with the Cubs in 2012 and 2013 before coaching the Minnesota hitters from 2017 through 2019. The 2019 Twins hit 307 home runs, scored 939 runs and won 101 games. Rowson later served as Miami’s bench coach from 2020 through 2022, then Detroit’s assistant hitting coach in 2023.
In New York, his hitters produced elite results in 2024 and 2025, including 274 home runs during 2025.
Dykes previously coached at Western Kentucky, Virginia Military Institute, Indiana, and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Indiana led Division I in home runs in 2019, giving Dykes experience with a college team that did outstanding offensively. Hirst coached in the Yankees’ minor-league system, including Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset, before his promotion. He later became the organization’s minor-league hitting coordinator, gaining experience developing younger hitters. Those backgrounds matter, but major-league results will ultimately determine whether the staff remains in place.
In 2027, if Rowson and his staff deliver better contact and timely hits, they can strengthen their case to stay.
Yankees who won’t be returning in 2027
The New York Yankees could lose 4 players before the 2027 season begins, forcing Brian Cashman to reconsider several roster decisions. Ali Sánchez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, and Trent Grisham all have reasons to worry about their futures. After winning 93 regular-season games, New York watched its postseason end with a 3-game sweep against Tampa Bay. Now, the Yankees must decide whether these players deserve another opportunity or whether their roster spots need upgrades.
Sánchez’s future looks uncertain after the Yankees failed to secure a reliable backup catcher throughout the season. Their August attempt to bring in Mitch Garver never provided the lasting solution they needed. Consequently, Sánchez remained behind Austin Wells, leaving the Yankees short of dependable catching depth. Unless the Yankees find a stronger alternative, retaining Sánchez could mean entering another season with familiar concerns.
Chisholm’s situation is different, as his athletic ability remains valuable despite an uneven offensive season. He finished with 19 home runs, 55 RBIs and 41 stolen bases, but batted just .231. His postseason defensive mistake against Tampa Bay became another concern after his throw allowed Yandy Díaz to score. Chisholm later said he would make the same decision again, while his expected contract could complicate negotiations.
Goldschmidt could also depart as New York considers younger options and greater flexibility around first base. The 39-year-old hit .252 with 18 home runs and 52 RBIs, providing useful production throughout 2026. However, Ben Rice and Luis García Jr. need opportunities, while Aaron Judge could also play first base occasionally. With several players competing for similar roles, retaining Goldschmidt may become harder to justify next season.
Grisham faces perhaps the clearest uncertainty after his expensive qualifying offer failed to deliver another strong season. The Yankees committed $22.025 million following his 2025 breakout, hoping his production would justify that short-term investment. Instead, he batted .211 with 18 home runs and a 95 OPS-plus, while hamstring problems affected his season. His declining speed also raised defensive concerns, making another expensive commitment difficult to justify as New York plans for 2027.
For Cashman, the challenge now is deciding which players remain part of the Yankees’ plans and which need replacing. How he handles these 4 situations could shape New York’s 2027 roster and determine how their entire season goes.