Aaron Boone deserves credit for Alex Verdugo, Clay Holmes gambits in Yankees' Game 1

Much maligned New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone kept things close to the vest all week, but his secrecy spoke volumes. Clearly, he'd decided on Alex Verdugo as his Game 1 starting left fielder, but didn't want to rile up a particularly vocal part of the fan base by announcing it unnecessarily early.

By the time Verdugo found himself in left field for the Yankees' playoff opener, the seas had calmed, and most fans agreed that, yes, actually, they could see the value in the choice. You need runs in October, sure, but preventing them is half the battle -- just ask Anthony Volpe. Jasson Dominguez had a chance over these past few weeks to prove that his offensive mastery outweighed his defensive deficiencies; he OPS'd .617. It'll happen someday, but perhaps not yet.

And so Verdugo got the call for Game 1. The task was simple: play the part. Field the position. Maybe run into one? If not, take some pitches. Work the count. Agitate. And just take care of the easy stuff.

He did so much more than that, making a sliding play to get the Yankees out of a Gerrit Cole-created jam in the fourth to keep it a one-run ballgame, then flipping the lead for the fifth and final time with a two-out line drive single in the seventh innin.

Yankees' Alex Verdugo, Clay Holmes earn redemption -- thanks to Aaron Boone's faith -- vs. KC Royals in ALDS Game 1

Boone's pregame quotes about Verdugo being "due," without much justification, hit different when that prediction actually comes true.

But starting Verdugo wasn't the only Boone move that was perfectly cashed in. Clay Holmes, used early in a tight game, escaped a jam with 2/3 of an excellent inning in the sixth before retiring Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Yuli Gurriel in order in the seventh. He was the only Yankees pitcher to effortlessly dismiss Gurriel in this game, and for that (and the other four outs), he earned the win.

Going to Luke Weaver with a runner on and two outs in the eighth worked, too. He blew away the No. 9 hitter, then wasn't bothered whatsoever by split-inning duty, sending Bobby Witt Jr. packing with a 3-2 corner clipper. Going with Oswaldo Cabrera at first base worked; Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s hose gave him plenty of bounces, which he scooped with aplomb. Even telling the dugout to shut up and stop chirping in the ninth after Adam Hamari's ball one call worked, though we all know who inspired them to chirp in the first place.

Boone's only mistake might've been letting Cole face Gurriel a third time and pollute the bases in the sixth, but if Anthony Volpe's arm had behaved, we might never have noticed (and he learned from the gaffe, pulling Tommy Kahnle at the perfect time later in the game.

The Verdugo move loomed large above all else, coloring the victory long before the left fielder put his primary stamp on things with two outs and a runner in scoring position in the seventh. Hopefully, Boone learned the paramount lesson from this one: sometimes, it's okay to trust your gut, even if no one else does.