That night it was possible to believe Joe Girardi was cementing a long-term contract.
The Yankees manager had to take the ball from Luis Severino one out and a 3-0 deficit into a wild-card game against the Twins. Girardi faced the crisis by beginning a four-reliever relay of Chad Green to Tommy Kahnle to David Robertson to Aroldis Chapman. The masterful orchestration of 26 outs from his bullpen was central to the Yankees rallying to win 8-4.
Perhaps at no other time — even during the 2009 championship season — was Girardi as widely hailed.
Girardi, though, never did get that extension.