Yankees need Cody Bellinger to keep the big moments coming

Aaron Judge is out, and the Yankees don’t know when — or if — he’ll be back.

So if they’re going to go anywhere in the playoffs, they’ll almost certainly have to do some work without him.

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That means Cody Bellinger’s role will be even more important than it’s been for much of the season, and lately, he’s answered the call.

It was Bellinger’s two-run shot in Game 1 on Tuesday that provided all the scoring in the 2-0 win over Tampa Bay in The Bronx.

The blast was Bellinger’s 17th of the season and fifth in his past 12 games.

With Judge out indefinitely with a strained right calf, Aaron Boone said the team was “not expecting” Judge to be available for the wild-card series that begins next week.

As Bellinger said following the win in Tuesday’s opener, any chance the Yankees have without Judge will be due to a collective effort.

But there’s little doubt that Bellinger — whose $36.5 million salary this year is second only to Judge’s $40 million — will be called upon more than most.

Against right-hander Nick Martinez of Tampa Bay, Bellinger hit second — a spot that he and Ben Rice have mostly split in Judge’s absence.

Rice doubled off Martinez to lead off the bottom of the fourth of a scoreless game, and Bellinger followed with his shot out to right.

“[Rice] had a great at-bat in front of me [and] saw a lot of pitches,’’ Bellinger said. “It was a close game. I’m not trying to do too much at all. I want to keep it really simple, put a good swing on the ball.”

It’s the approach the Yankees are hoping to have without Judge, whose “moderate” strain has put their October plans in jeopardy.

“I think for us, it’s one game at a time,’’ Bellinger said. “We all believe in each other in this locker room. We’re not looking too far ahead.”

But it’s hard not to wonder how the lineup — and team — will withstand another Judge absence.

“Having Judge on our team helps us tremendously,’’ Bellinger said. “We’ve just got to continue to come out and win games, playing for each other, leaning on each other [and] playing good baseball.”

As the Yankees have noted, they’ve stayed in the postseason picture, even as Judge missed three-plus months with a fractured rib this summer.

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“We have a lot of talent in this locker room, a lot of depth,” Bellinger said. “A lot of different guys stepped up, whether it’s their first year in the big leagues or getting traded [here]. We keep playing winning baseball.”

Bellinger added to that not just with his bat Tuesday, but with his arm, as well.

After Victor Mesa Jr. opened the sixth with a single off Carlos Rodón, Bellinger started an inning-ending double play two batters later when Richie Palacios lined out to left.

Mesa didn’t know where the ball was and didn’t get back to first in time to beat Bellinger’s strong throw.

“He went through that stretch when he was struggling and then got injured,’’ Boone said of Bellinger’s earlier slump and hamstring injury. “But he’s dialed in now and hitting line drives all over the ballpark. … It’s good to see as we get down the stretch.”