The Post’s predictions

KEN DAVIDOFF: Maybe the last two months have been a long con by Chris Sale and the Red Sox to lull the Yankees into a Game 1 slumber. The bet here is no, that Sale is experiencing his standard second-half dropoff, only worse. The Yankees, riding high after securing home-field advantage for the wild card and then capitalizing it, are ready to go on a roll. Yankees in 4

GEORGE A. KING III: Extra outs hurt in the regular season. They kill in October and the Yankees have problems at third base and behind the plate. Boston’s lineup is a little bit deeper than the Yankees. The bullpen edge goes to the Yankees, but not enough to get them to the ALCS. Red Sox in 5

DAN MARTIN: If Chris Sale and David Price are on top of their game, the Yankees will be in trouble. But the disparity in the strengths of the two bullpens figures to play a huge role — especially if Sale continues to have issues with his velocity. Yankees in 5

JOEL SHERMAN: In a battle of closely matched teams the home-field advantage favors the Red Sox and so does their heady, aggressive ability to capitalize on mistakes and the defense of Gary Sanchez, Luke Voit and Miguel Andujar opens a scary door for the Yankees. Red Sox in 5

MIKE VACCARO: The teams battled across 162 games simply to earn the right to have one extra home game ... and that could all vanish in a matter of hours. The Yankees’ mission is two split the first two games; if they do, good luck to Boston to try and figure out what the Twins, Indians, Astros and A’s haven’t been able to the last two years: winning even one game in The Bronx. Yankees in 4