Luis Rojas is moving across town for his next job.
The former Mets manager has been hired as the Yankees’ new third-base coach, the team announced Monday.
Rojas replaces Phil Nevin, whose contract was not renewed after the season, and fills one of the three open positions on Aaron Boone’s staff. The Yankees are still looking for a hitting coach and a first-base coach.
The Mets did not pick up the option on Rojas’ contract last month after his second season managing the club to a combined 103-119 record. Rojas, 40, had been with the Mets organization since 2007, working his way up through the minor league system while managing multiple affiliates before joining the major league staff as the quality control coach in 2019.
When the Mets announced they had declined Rojas’ option, they offered him the opportunity to remain in the organization “in a yet to be determined capacity.” But Rojas sought opportunities elsewhere, interviewing for the Padres’ managerial opening and at least one other team’s non-managing position before landing with the Yankees.
When Boone took a leave of absence in spring training to receive a pacemaker earlier this year, Rojas made note of his admiration for his Subway Series counterpart.
“He was very welcoming to me when I came into my position, you know, fellow manager from the same city, and I have so much respect for him,” Rojas said in March.e