Joe Girardi Facing Uncertain Future with New York Yankees

Posted on October 22, 2017, by Bryan Zarpentine

Image via nydailynews.com

Despite losing to the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS, most people will say the New York Yankees have a bright future. The team has a great collection of young talent and one of the strongest farm systems in baseball. However, the future is uncertain for Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who may or may not be managing the Bronx Bombers in 2018.

Girardi’s contract is up after the end of the season, so the Yankees will need to offer him a new deal. However, there’s no guarantee the team will want him back, nor is there assurance that Girardi wants to come back.

“There’s no guarantees for me,” Girardi said after Saturday’s Game 7 loss.

This was Girardi’s 10th season as manager of the Yankees. In that time, he has a winning percentage of .562 during the regular season and a .538 winning percentage in the postseason. During his time as manager, the Yankees have won the AL East three times, reached the playoffs via the wild card three times, and won the 2009 World Series.

Regardless of whether the Yankees want him back or not, Girardi plans to speak with his family and decide whether or not he wants to continue managing the team.

“I love what I do. I’ve always said, the first thing that I do is I always talk to my family first. They come first. Because I think when you have a job, I mean, your family has to buy in, too,” Girardi said. “It’s not just what you want out of life. It’s everyone buying in. So I’ll sit down, talk to my wife and my kids and see where they’re at and what they’re thinking. And then we’ll see what the Yankees are thinking.”

What the Yankees are thinking is just as much of a mystery. GM Brian Cashman, who is also out of contract with the Yankees at the end of the season, declined to shed any light on the matter after Saturday’s postseason exit.

“I think everyone did everything they possibly could to get to where we wanted to go, which was the last team standing,” Cashman said. “We fell short. We had a great season. It’s been a wild and fun ride but tonight it hurts because the ride is over. My recommendation will be to talk to our owner and sit down and find out what is next.”

Not long ago, it seemed like a near-certainty that Girardi would be gone. The manager endured a firestorm after the Yankees lost Game 2 of the ALDS. During that game, Girardi did not ask for a replay review on a hit batter that sparked a comeback by the Indians. But after the Yankees came back to win the series and push the Astros to seven games in the ALCS, it seems that Girardi is being viewed more favorably by both media and fans.

Of course, 10 years as a manger in New York can take quite a toll on a person. It’s possible that Girardi will prefer to take a break or perhaps seek a new managerial challenge with another team. Either way, Girardi has no doubt that the Yankees have a bright future, and believes they can be even better than what they showed this season, whether he’s managing them in 2018 or not.

“I think there are things that individual players can do better,” says Girardi. “And that will continue. And if I’m a part of it, it will be a focus.”