Ex-mate Bard has shot at Boone staff

Josh Bard, an old teammate of Aaron Boone’s, has interviewed to join the Yankees’ coaching staff, multiple industry sources told The Post.

While it couldn’t be determined for which role Bard is in contention, he would appear to fit the profile Boone, who played with Bard on the 2005 Indians, described on Wednesday for his bench coach.

“I want smart sitting next to me,” Boone said at the news conference to announce his hiring. “I want confidence sitting next to me. I want a guy who can walk out into that room and as I talk about relationships I expect to have with my players, I expect that even to be more so with my coaching staff. … Whether that is guys with all kinds of experience or little experience, I am not concerned about that.’’

Bard, 39, has spent the past five seasons working for the Dodgers, the Yankees’ West Coast twin when it comes to combining big finances with big analytics. He worked as a special assistant to the front office in 2013 and a professional scout in 2014 and 2015 and served as the team’s bullpen coach under manager Dave Roberts in 2016 and 2017.

A former catcher, Bard also would be likely to take over the duties of instructing the Yankees’ catchers, a role that will take on an increased spotlight given Gary Sanchez’s defensive struggles last season.

Joe Girardi (in 2005) and Tony Pena (from 2009 through 2013) both have worked the bench coach/ catching instructor tandem for the Yankees; Pena, most recently the team’s firstbase coach, supervised the Yankees’ catchers the past two years, as well.

The Yankees already have announced that Larry Rothschild will return for his seventh season as pitching coach — they made that determination even before hiring Boone — and Mike Harkey is in the running to return as bullpen coach. Yankees field coordinator Carlos Mendoza and outfield/base-running coordinator Reggie Willits are being considered for spots on the staff.

General manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday regarding the coaching staff: “We are going to collaborate with Aaron about who we have within the company that we recommend to him to consider and he has got names he has asked us to consider.”

Bard falls into the latter category.