Yankees playoff rotation still in flux — and Cam Schlittler may not start Game 1

Cam Schlittler made the final start of his Cy Young-worthy regular season Thursday night and would be lined up to start Game 1 of the wild-card series Tuesday in The Bronx on regular rest.

But it’s not that simple, according to the Yankees, who are considering holding Schlittler for Game 2, with Max Fried potentially pitching the opener.

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“Who wouldn’t want to start the first game?” Schlittler said after his tune-up start in a comeback, 6-4 win over the Rays. “I feel like the whole pitching staff deserves it. We’re all competitors. I’ll let [Aaron Boone] decide.”

The Yankees haven’t settled on their postseason rotation with less than a week to go before the playoffs start.

Pitching coach Matt Blake said Fried is in “heavy consideration” to pitch Game 1, while Schlittler — who threw 70 pitches in an intentionally abbreviated outing against Tampa Bay — was also in the mix.

“He’s the guy we want with the ball,’’ Boone said of Schlittler. “Whether it’s Game 1 or Game 2. You try to play out the whole [postseason]. You want to win the whole thing and want to have him have the most opportunities he can.”

If Schlittler is held for Game 2, he would be lined up for Games 2 and 5 of the ALDS against the Rays. Both games would be on the road, where he has pitched better than at home.

Gerrit Cole, according to Blake, isn’t guaranteed a start in the wild-card series, as Game 3 would go to Cole or Carlos Rodón.

“Both guys have pitched well down the stretch,’’ Blake said of Cole and Rodón. “All four guys are good options. It’s just a matter of making sure we check in, see where they’re at and finding the best fit for whoever we play.”

Their opponent is still undetermined, as Boston was unable to clinch the fifth spot in the American League after losing to Cleveland on Thursday.

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Regardless of who the Yankees end up facing, part of the equation with the rotation will be rest, since Schlittler would be pitching on his fifth day if he went in Game 1.

Cole would be on his sixth day, while Fried — as well as Rodón — would be on his seventh day.

Asked if they could be “overthinking” the situation by not just naming Schlittler the Game 1 starter after his Cy Young-worthy season, Blake said, “Certainly.”

Schlittler finished his first full year in the majors with an AL-best 1.95 ERA, as well as 239 strikeouts.

The ERA is third-best in franchise history, trailing only Spud Chandler (1.64 in 1943) and Ron Guidry (1.74 in 1978).

“He’s been the best pitcher in the league, hands down,” Boone said.

“He’s earned the right to pitch Game 1,’’ Blake said prior to Schlittler allowing two runs, one earned, in a meaningless game. “We’re taking inventory of all our starters and giving us the best chance to advance in the three-game series.”

And that could leave Cole out and ready for a potential ALDS matchup against the Rays.

“If we don’t have him as one of our three starters or out of the pen, he’d be available for [ALDS],’’ Blake said. “I don’t know where we’d go.”

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Blake said they could go with all four starters on the wild-card roster, understanding the challenges of putting those pitchers in unfamiliar roles.

Rodón, despite pitching to a 1.89 ERA over his last seven starts since returning from the IL, said he would be fine if he was put in the pen.

“Whatever way we can win a game, I’ll do,’’ Rodón said. “I’m confident in my ability whatever role I have.”

“Any of those guys that haven’t pitched out of the pen in a while, you’ve got to make sure you’ve got a clear plan for them and they understand what role they’ll be in because you probably get one shot if we use one of these starters out of the pen,’’ Blake said. “They’re not gonna pitch two games [in the series].”