Why Jason Giambi turned down Yankees’ job interest

Retired Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi said the team reached out to him to gauge his coaching interest in the offseason.

NEW YORK — Sounds like Jason Giambi could have been back in pinstripes for more than just Old-Timers’ Day, if he wanted.

Giambi, who retired in 2015, said the Yankees reached out to him in the offseason to gauge his interest in a job with the organization.

“I think they kind of tested to see where I was at and I just said I wasn’t ready,” Giambi said at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, the 47-year-old’s first Old-Timers’ Day. 

He added the conversation went like, “‘Hey, what are you up to? Do you want to get your feet wet?’ Stuff like that.”

What are old Yankees doing?

Giambi didn’t specify the position for which the Yankees might have considered him. He also didn’t say who contacted him.

A source said the team didn’t reach out to the former first baseman regarding the manager search that eventually led to Aaron Boone taking over, but that it might have regarding a job working with hitters.

He said he didn’t hope to get a chance either managing or coaching with the Yankees after Joe Girardi was let go after 10 years as skipper.

“No,” Giambi said. “I had young kids.”

Giambi played 20 years in the majors, finishing with 440 homers and a .277 batting average. He won the 2000 MVP with the A’s and finished second the following year. Giambi played with the Yankees from 2002-2008 on a seven-year, $120-million deal. Giambi also admitted using steroids while playing.

Giambi interviewed for the Rockies’ managerial opening 2012. Walt Weiss beat him out. The team offered him a hitting coach job but he turned it down.

Boone played with Giambi in 2003 with the Yankees. He said Giambi would make a “really good” manager.

“Jason is someone who has been through a lot of stuff in this game,” Boone said. “I believe when he was getting out of the game, his last couple years playing for Cleveland, I think the reputation he really started to build — he was now not an everyday player, obviously, a reserve player — and the reputation he really developed within Cleveland’s organization as far as mentoring young players, really having a grasp.

“You hear them talk about all the time, I think how taken aback they were and how much he understood situations and just the clubhouse and the kind of leader he was in the clubhouse. I’m sure if it’s something he really wants to do, he’ll probably have some opportunities to interview for someone.”

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.