NEW YORK -- The Yankees turned to an established name to fill a critical opening on their staff, signing Larry Rothschild to a three-year contract to replace Dave Eiland as the team's pitching coach, the club announced on Friday.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has said that he considers the hire vital to the team, even devising an extensive interview process that included film review. Rothschild, 56, brings a lengthy resume to the Bronx.

“Larry will be a welcome addition to our pitching staff," Cashman said in a statement. "He comes with an impressive resume as a former Major League manager and a world champion pitching coach. He has a great reputation with his players, who know they can trust him and rely on him to put them in a position to succeed."

He has spent the last nine seasons as the Cubs' pitching coach and had exercised a contract option at the end of the season to return.

Rothschild's staffs have endured injury and turnover, yet the Cubs' pitchers have typically been among the league leaders in strikeouts.

"Larry brings a wealth of invaluable experience to our team and to our pitching staff,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said in a statement. "He’s a championship pitching coach, and I’m excited to add Larry’s abilities to our staff. He is above all else an excellent teacher, who brings a professional attitude and a keen sense of preparation to his craft. I’m very much looking forward to working with him moving forward."

On the North Side, it was Rothschild's responsibility to work with the talented and mercurial Carlos Zambrano, a challenge he will face again in the Bronx with right-hander A.J. Burnett.

Eiland was not retained at the end of the season. Other candidates included bullpen coach Mike Harkey, A's minor league pitching coordinator Gil Patterson and Yankees' Triple-A pitching coach Scott Aldred.

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In other news, the Yankees released relief pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo, who intends to sign a contract in Japan.

Albaladejo, 28, enjoyed a standout season in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, recording 43 saves while posting a 1.42 ERA. But he saw limited action with the Yankees, pitching just 11 1/3 innings in 10 appearances.