New York Yankees begin offseason makeover in the BROADCAST BOOTH as announcer is let go after 20 years

The New York Yankees made their first major offseason move on Thursday as it was a revealed one of the team's anchors is leaving the YES Network after 20 years.

'So I was informed yesterday that I will not be offered a contract from YES for next season!' former journeyman catcher and long-time Yankees color commentator John Flaherty wrote on X. 'I am very grateful for my 20 years at the Network. I want to thank the Yankees and especially the Yankee fans. Thank you for letting me be a little part of your day for 20 seasons!'

A West Nyack, New York native and 25th-round pick by Boston in 1988, Flaherty ultimately reached the big leagues with the Red Sox in 1992 and went on to play 13 respectable seasons, the final three of which came in the Bronx.

The Athletic's Andrew Marchand has since reported ex-Yankees David Cone, Paul O'Neill and Joe Girardi will still serve as color commentators alongside play-by-play announcer Michael Kay. The plan, according to Marchan, is for two of those three to be involved in most broadcasts.

A Yes spokesperson has confirmed those plans to the Daily Mail, but declined further comment on Flaherty.  

As Flaherty told The Athletic, he was not surprised by to be let go.

'I was kind of prepared for it so I think that helped,' Flaherty said. 'It quickly went from, the reality that you are not going to be back to what a great run for 20 years to go right from retiring as a player to right into the booth in 2006 and stay with the same network for 20 years. I just became very grateful for what a long and great run it has been at YES and being connected with the Yankees all those years.'

Flaherty said he is excited for the possibility of future broadcasting jobs.

Flaherty received an outpouring of support on X.

'I have really enjoyed your insights over the years Flash,' one fan wrote on X, referring to Flaherty by his nickname. 'Looking forward to your next endeavor.'

Another added: 'Man, you were one of the guys I'd get excited to hear in the booth. You're going to be missed in this household.'

Flaherty's departure comes more than a year after he and Kay had an uncomfortable exchange during a Yankees-Cubs game at Chicago's Wrigley Field.

'You weren't very talkative on the bus this morning to the field, but as I was driving here, I was thinking it would be great to get a place that's close so you could walk back and forth,' Flaherty said during the YES broadcast. 'I know you mentioned [late Cubs manager and Yankees bench coach] Don Zimmer living in the apartments out in center field.

'But I just had a lot of time to think on the team bus today, because it was very quiet.'

A defensive Kay responded: 'So you'd rather me be chatty? I wasn't feeling great.'

Flaherty, who often worked with Ryan Ruocco whenever Kay was off during road trips, remarked that he hadn't seen the long-time play-by-play man for some time.

'I haven't seen you in a long time, right?' Flaherty asked. 'You don't work road trips any more when I'm on the road. So I thought we would catch up, and it quickly was evident that you weren't in the mood, so I gathered my thoughts about how it would be nice to live close to Wrigley and walk back and forth to the park.'

Kay then claimed it was Flaherty who was pulling away from him.

'Interesting narrative that you're putting together, because I've been told by executives that you prefer to work with [Ryan] Ruocco,' Kay said. 'That's why you two guys are matched up all the time. That's just what I heard, I don't know if there's any truth to it.'

Flaherty responded by reminding Kay about his spotty schedule.

'I just put together that the road trips you don't want to go on are the ones where I end up working with Ryan Ruocco, because you don't want to work the games on the road,' Flaherty said.

YES is a cable network co-owned by the Yankees, Main Street Sports Group, Amazon, the LeBron James-linked RedBird Capital, Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company, and the powerful financial services firm, Blackstone Inc.