Yanks well on way two October magic

TORONTO — The Yankees are 14-5 in September and on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs, looking more like an eventual 90-plus-win contender than the 85-win team myself and many others predicted they would be before the season began.

The Bombers (85-67) head into their final road series this week- end against Toronto at Rogers Centre with a magic number of just two to reach at least the AL wild-card game, meaning they could clinch a playoff berth Friday with a victory over Toronto and losses by the Angels and the Rangers.

However, with 10 games remaining, the Yankees have just an 8.3 percent chance of winning the AL East. That’s because they still sit three games behind the first-place Red Sox, who close with four games against the Astros.

But that they’ve come this far this fast feels significant.

Remember, before they became arguably the two most valuable Bombers in 2017, Aaron Judge and Luis Severino were just trying to make the roster and avoid starting the year at Triple-A Scranton. Now, they’ve become part of the homegrown core.

The Yankees have had to overcome a bevy of injuries to the likes of Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius, Greg Bird, Starlin Castro, Jacoby Ellsbury, Aroldis Chapman, CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and Gleyber Torres.

They’ve also had to overcome a 23-32 stretch following a 38-23 start along with a 17-25 mark in one-run games.

But now they’re almost completely healthy — pending the returns of Aaron Hicks and Adam Warren — and surging in the final month, averaging 6.4 runs per game while pitching to a 3.25 ERA as a team.

The Bombers may in fact have been an 85-win team had Brian Cashman not acquired Sonny Gray, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Todd Frazier and Jaime Garcia before the July 31 trade deadline.

All five players have performed as advertised, not missing a beat in the Bronx. Gray has pitched to a 3.29 ERA as a Yankee while Robertson (13) and Kahnle (11) are working on a combined 24-inning scoreless streak. Frazier has provided a .790 OPS and 10 homers while playing a solid third base and delivering leadership alongside Brett Gardner and Sabathia in the clubhouse. And Garcia has pitched to a 1.17 ERA in his last three starts.

Judge has regained All-Star form of late, thriving in the No. 2 hole. His 1.112 OPS in September mirrors his productivity in the first half, as he’s been consistently driving the ball the other way, perhaps no longer hampered by a nagging shoulder injury. His two homers against the Twins came in very meaningful situations.

With a lineup that starts with Gardner, Judge, Sanchez and Gregorius, a deep rotation and a bullpen full of power arms led by surprising relief star Chad Green, the Yankees could be dangerous if they can get through the do-or-die game they’ll likely have to play on Oct. 3.

Either way, the foundation for sustainable success has been set, and the Bombers are already ahead of schedule.

It may have been reasonable to expect them to finish 15 games behind the Sox back in March. But six months later, here they are: in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth, and still mathematically alive for the division title.