MLB

Joe won’t go!

When you step back from the reality that the Yankees have blown a 10-game divisional lead, it isn’t shocking that they’re locked into an ultra-tense battle for the AL East title.

Fighting for their playoff lives, though? In the first season that baseball offers five postseason berths per league? Didn’t see that one coming.

With that in mind, it’s fair to wonder about manager Joe Girardi’s job security. In his fifth year at the helm, is the Yankees manager’s job on the line?

“No,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told The Post yesterday, before the Yankees defeated the Rays, 5-3, to retain at least share of first place.

“In your mind,” Cashman was asked, “he’ll be the manager [next year] regardless of what happens [this season]?”

“Yup,” he replied.

That matches the sentiment Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner shared with The Post on Sept. 4, while attending a Yankees-Rays game at Tropicana Field. Asked if the jobs of Cashman and Girardi were at stake, Steinbrenner replied: “No, not at all.”

Girardi, more than Cashman, has occupied the eye of the storm lately. Partly because it’s the nature of the job. Cashman essentially has done all he can with roster moves, and now the focus turns to Girardi and the way he utilizes those personnel. The Yankees are 25-29 since July 18, the day they increased their AL East lead to a season-high 10 games.

More significant, however, is the sense Girardi — who has a contract through 2013 at about $3 million per season — is wearing the stresses of the job to an unhealthy degree. Last week in Baltimore, he engaged in a heated argument with a Post columnist, and last month in Chicago, Girardi paused a postgame media session to tell a fan to shut up.

Girardi struggles to put a happy face on losses even in the best of times, a flaw of which his players are well aware.

“It can be a stressful time,” Cashman said, before adding of Girardi’s state of mind: “It’s not my concern.”

BOX SCORE

Girardi normally emphasizes the big picture in his game management, making sure his relievers and veteran position players receive sufficient rest during the marathon season. That caution has alleviated with the urgency of the situation. Derek Jeter, dealing with what the Yankees call a bone bruise in his left ankle, has started every game since the All-Star break.

Setup man David Robertson pitched in all three games in Boston this past week — to be fair, he faced just one batter, throwing three pitches, in the series finale Thursday — as did Boone Logan, facing one batter each day, and both men pitched again yesterday after sitting out Friday. Rafael Soriano and Joba Chamberlain, both of whom pitched yesterday, also have been worked very hard.

“We’re all on the same page” with issues of both strategy and clubhouse management, Cashman said.

Are Girardi’s moods and moves impacting his players’ performance? They have struggled to hit with runners in scoring position, although that has been a season-long headache. Yesterday, they went 2-for-3 in those situations. While they have been unable to put together a strong run that would elevate them to safer ground, they also have avoided falling into an abyss; they now have a 6-4 record in their last 10 games.

Before yesterday’s game, Girardi gave a pep talk to Eduardo Nunez, who made a critical error in Friday night’s loss to Tampa Bay, and Nunez got the start at shortstop against Rays starting pitcher James Shields, who had surrendered six hits to Nunez in 14 prior at-bats. Nunez made his skipper look smart with a solo homer in the second inning.

“Always, it’s a good feeling when a manager gives you confidence,” Nunez said.

There likely will come a time when Girardi wears out his welcome in the Bronx — every manager has to punch out, eventually — but it appears we aren’t there yet. If the Yankees do indeed miss the playoffs, then this question will arise again.

“We won’t miss the playoffs,” Cashman promised, smiling. He’s counting on his manager to help make that a reality.