The Yankees have the second-best record in the American League and are closer to first than at any time in the last three weeks. Yet, it all just feels awful.

They salvaged the finale of a three-game set Sunday against the two-time defending champion Dodgers by winning a doubleheader nightcap 2-1. But even in victory, their biggest lingering issue did not dissipate. The Yankees scored five runs all weekend.

As great as Aaron Judge is, this isn’t the NBA. No single player’s loss should mean this much. But the team’s lineup misses him roughly as much as a fish would water. And it is not as if Judge is near — at best he remains weeks away from returning from his fractured ribs.

Memo to the Yankees: The season is continuing without him. And if you hadn’t noticed, while the Rays are losing a lot to draw the Yankees closer to the top of the AL East, the Red Sox have won 13 straight and the Orioles seven and there suddenly are seven teams at .500 or better in the subpar AL.