The outfielder lost his starting job to rookie Jasson Domínguez late in the season but was penciled into Saturday’s lineup and made all the difference.

The manager’s instincts were vindicated Saturday night. Verdugo delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning, propelling the Yankees to a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals. In a game that saw five lead changes — the most in MLB postseason history — Verdugo’s opposite-field hit secured the Yankees a 1-0 start in the ALDS.

In the New York Yankees’ rosiest version of the American League Division Series opener, Alex Verdugo was, at best, a tertiary character. He could be a non-factor, and the Kansas City Royals could still lose.