NEW YORK -- Joe Girardi was arguably at the nadir of his 10-year tenure as the Yankees' manager while the team prepared to play Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Indians. The wounds from his non-challenge of Lonnie Chisenhall's hit-by-pitch in the sixth inning of Game 2 were still fresh.
As Girardi met with media in his Yankee Stadium office ahead of Game 3, he seemed to be at peace with whatever would come next. Girardi expressed hope that his players would rally to beat Cleveland, but as far as his own expiring contract, he seemed content to leave that to managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman.
"I think an organization has to do what they're comfortable with, right?" Girardi said then. "And it may not always agree with the person that is either being fired or however it goes. But I think that's Hal and Brian's decision. Whatever their decision is, you know, I'll live with."
The Yankees did come back to defeat the Tribe and pushed the Astros to a seventh game in the American League Championship Series, but their offseason arrived one win shy of a trip to the World Series. Girardi's situation is now topic No. 1 in The Bronx. The skipper met with Cashman on Wednesday to discuss the manager's future, according to MLB Network contributor Jon Heyman.
Girardi has said that he planned to sit down with his family to discuss their feelings and concerns about his future. Girardi turned 53 this month and had been working on a four-year, $16 million contract he signed in October 2013. Like Girardi and his coaching staff, Cashman is not under contract for 2018.
While Girardi took heat from the media and fans in the wake of that difficult Game 2 loss at Cleveland, he provided a window into his thinking, saying that his biggest concern was that members of his family might be affected.
"You worry about them taking hits," Girardi said. "You worry about your kids taking hits too, and it's really unfair to them. I'm always protective of them because my kids have some of the same feistiness that I have with umpires, so I always worry about that."
After their final game of the season, Cashman said he was pleased with the job Girardi did in guiding the Yankees to a 91-71 record and the first AL Wild Card spot in 2017.
"I think everybody did everything they possibly could to get where we wanted to go, which is to be the last team standing. We fell short," Cashman said. "We had a great season. It's been a wild and fun ride. But tonight it hurts because the ride's over. We'll all get back to New York and deal with what's next."
Girardi said that he still considers the Yankees' job appealing but also added that it could be fun to experience some other positions in the game.
"That's why I think it's important to talk to my family and know what they're thinking," Girardi said. "I really enjoy managing. I really enjoy the competition, the relationships, I enjoy watching people have success. And that's all part of it, but again, they make a lot of sacrifices so I can do this, and that's why I need to talk to them first."