MLB

Time for Yanks to move on from distracting situation

‘GRAND’ TIMING: While Curtis Granderson (above) is preparing for his return to the Yankees’ lineup, the Bombers continue to deal with the distracting Alex Rodriguez situation, something the team must rid itself of in order to make a run at the wild card, writes Post columnist Kevin Kernan. (
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SAN DIEGO — The Yankees want to live in the baseball world. They don’t need to live in Alex Rodriguez’s world anymore.

It’s time to leave.

These Yankees have enough trouble trying to figure out how to score runs; they can’t figure out Rodriguez’s many issues, performance-enhancing drugs and otherwise, and still keep their diamond-hard focus.

Most of all, the Yankees are looking for a turning point to their season of injury to try to make a wild-card run, and they just may have found one.

The Great Distraction is nearly behind them and they can’t wait.

Of course, no one had any problems in 2009 when Rodriguez helped carry the Yankees to their most recent World Series title. It’s a much different Yankees world now, though, and these Yankees would be thrilled with just making it to a one-game, wild-card shootout.

The constant wear and tear of living with A-Rod’s issues, though, the closest thing baseball has to living with a Kardashian — A-Kard — has taken its toll on the players.

You can see it in their eyes.

Ask an A-Rod question, and it’s like you’re asking them to sit down for a root canal. When the suspension hammer finally falls on Rodriguez, there will be a resolution to the situation and that will open the door to a new season for the Yankees.

“We’re constantly asked questions about it, so maybe after that, we won’t have to answer questions,’’ Derek Jeter said of any type of resolution to the A-Rod Problem.

You can be sure the Yankees as a team have already emotionally moved on from A-Rod. The Creed of the Clubhouse is simple and a bit cruel, but it has to be that way to survive — if you are not in the clubhouse, you basically don’t exist.

“We definitely need [Rodriguez] over there at third base,’’ Andy Pettitte told The Post, “but I don’t think anybody is putting it in stone that he is coming back. Everybody knows what’s going on, so you have to assume that he may not come back.

“Look, it’s been a tough year,’’ Pettitte added. “Especially from the standpoint we’ve got guys all playing who were supposed to be backups. That’s a tough year to be in any division, but especially the AL East with the talent that is in it.

“But I love this team. I love the way everybody is battling.’’

Vernon Wells is also a veteran who has seen it all and he wants a resolution to the A-Rod situation just like all the Yankees do.

“I think everyone around here wants it to be resolved one way or the other so it’s not up in the air anymore,’’ Wells said.

After a 3-0 win over the Dodgers in a game started by Clayton Kershaw and his 1.87 ERA Wednesday, the Yankees play the Padres for three at Petco Park with CC Sabathia trying to find his way again tonight against Andrew Cashner.

The Yankees are hopeful the return of Curtis Granderson will get the offense going. Wells insisted the Yankees have enough talent to contend for a playoff spot even though it is a difficult task because of the Yankees’ lack of production.

“It starts with our pitching staff and now that we are starting to get some guys in the fold offensively, it’s only going to help our chances,’’ Wells said.

Over his last two full seasons, Granderson has hit 84 home runs. The Yankees have hit only 91 home runs this year, 24th in the majors.

“He’s a guy who can change the game with one swing,’’ Jeter said of Granderson, who is bouncing back from a broken finger, which followed a broken arm. “We’re looking forward to him coming back, but just because Curtis is back, doesn’t mean we can sit back and relax. Everyone has a job to do and everyone needs to do it.’’

To do the job, the Yankees need to live in the baseball world, not A-Rod’s world anymore.