Bird recovery soaring

Greg Bird still has some serious work to do before he’s ready to regain his spot as the Yankees’ starting first baseman, but his physical issues appear to be behind him — at least for now.

Bird spent Tuesday throwing, running, taking ground balls and doing tee-and-toss in the cage and reported no problems with the right ankle bone bruise which has sidelined him since early May and has bothered him all season.

If he doesn’t have any setbacks, Bird expects to head to Tampa to take part in extended spring training with the rookie team by the middle of next week, where he’ll be able to have as many atbats as he wants to get his timing back.

A rehab stint with Class-A Tampa figures to follow.

It’s even more important that Bird doesn’t have any more physical issues, since he already has lost 2016 to a torn labrum in his shoulder and gotten off to an ugly start this season following the ankle injury suffered at the end of spring training.

Whenever Bird does return to The Bronx, Joe Girardi wants him to put his 6-for-60 start behind him.

“I hope he understands when he comes back, start over,” the manager said. “Like a reset button. If you try to make it all up in a week or a month, it’s not always easy to do.” Bird agreed. “Just go play,” he said. “That’s always how it is for me. No matter what you’ve done, it’s a new day and keep playing.”

In the meantime, Chris Carter is finally beginning to show some signs of life, with his second homer in as many games in Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Royals. He also has three homers in his past seven games.

Gary Sanchez struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth and is now hitless in his past nine at-bats with five strikeouts, but he’s confident he’s in the process of putting his early-season issues at the plate behind him.

“Pitchers keep adjusting and that’s how the game is,” Sanchez said through an interpreter while taking part in Hope Week at the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in Washington Heights. “They keep adjusting and I’ve got to keep making adjustments. They’ve done a good job so far. Now it’s my turn to make adjustments.”

Sanchez is trying to cut down on swinging at pitches outside of the zone, which is what Aaron Judge has done so far this season.

Didi Gregorius has kept up the dominance against left-handers that he began last season. The lefty-swinging shortstop is batting .345 (10-for-29) versus southpaws this year after going hitless in three at-bats Tuesday against southpaw Danny Duffy.

“He stays in there,” Girardi said. “That’s a big part of it.”

The Yankees held a moment of silence and played “God Save the Queen” before the game in honor of those who died in Monday’s explosion in Manchester, England. Girardi said security is often on his mind at games.

“You always think about it,” Girardi said. “Our [security] people have done a really good job … [but] that’s the world we live in.”