The New York Yankees’ dream postseason turned into a nightmare almost overnight. Game 3 of the World Series was depressingly more similar, as New York’s offense was once again silenced by a 4-2 loss, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a commanding 3-0 lead in the series and more or less turning off the lights on their title hopes the Yankees. Although the season isn’t technically over yet, most fans are more than ready to turn their attention to a crucial offseason.

Juan Soto’s free agency is the $600 million question, but Brian Cashman has at least one more pressing matter to address: the future of embattled manager Aaron Boone. It’s unclear whether Boone will return for an eighth season in the Bronx, but after several blunders in this World Series, it seems long past time for a change. This begs the question: Who should the Yankees turn to as a replacement? Here are three names the team not mentioning would be crazy.

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This may not be the flashiest name for Cashman to consider, but it would be a smart name. Duncan, a former second-round pick of the Yankees in 2001, was a three-year player for the team from 2007 to 2009. After retiring in 2014, he immediately began coaching, moving from the Diamondbacks to the Blue Jays to the White Sox. He returned to New York last winter when Cashman named him manager of the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Duncan’s first season in Scranton was rocky, but he led the RailRiders to an 89-60 record in 2024 and helped develop players like Ben Rice, Everson Pereira and Jorbit Vivas. Duncan understands the organization’s development methods and priorities and appears to have a knack for running a clubhouse. He also has a pretty impressive background: Duncan’s father, Dave, was among the sport’s top pitching coaches for decades and produced the quality arms that fueled Tony La Russa’s run with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Schumaker was a victim of the Miami Marlins’ stunning organizational purge, but their loss could be the Yankees’ game. Just last year, Schumaker won NL Manager of the Year honors for helping an undermanned Marlins squad reach the postseason, and before that he was apparently popular as the Cardinals’ backup coach. Schumaker’s desire to win clashed with Miami’s stingy front office, but he wouldn’t have such problems in New York. Maybe he wants to sit for a year and see if, say, St. Louis is looking for a new manager next winter. However, if he is interested, the Yankees will have to sell him hard for his mix of clubhouse presence and analytical talent.

If Schumaker isn’t the biggest name available right now, it’s Venable. He is reportedly a finalist for openings with both Miami and the Chicago White Sox, and his postgame resume is impressive: Venables began his coaching career as a special assistant to then-Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein and previously served as the Reds’ bench coach Sox He won a ring in 2023 as part of Bruce Bochy’s coaching staff with the Texas Rangers. Venable played his college ball at Princeton, so is at least familiar with the tristate area, and like Schumaker, his background is an enticing combination of old-school (Bochy) and new-age (Epstein).

Pipe dream? Sure, but hear me out. Before leading the Philadelphia Phillies to three straight postseason berths and an NL pennant, Thomson was a Yankees fan, spending nearly three decades with the organization from 1990 to 2017. Before getting the call, he alternated between minor league coaching and front office staff. He served as Joe Girardi’s bench coach before the 2008 season and was an integral part of the last New York team to win a title in 2009.

Thomson and the Phillies agreed to a contract extension just a few weeks ago, and Dave Dombrowski gave his captain a vote of confidence earlier this offseason. But things are a bit tense in Philly right now given their declining playoff returns, and Thomson undoubtedly still has plenty of ties to the Yankees from his time there. He speaks their language and his players obviously love playing for him. New York needs to at least get him to say no.