The Yankees believed that the bullpens would be a separating factor in this American League Division Series, preparing for the possibility of five games in five days. That has come to fruition, and Zack Britton said that his fellow relievers are prepared whenever the call comes in Friday’s Game 5.

“I’m ready to go for whatever they need, and I think every guy in that bullpen feels the same way,” Britton said. “The challenge hasn’t been too bad, because there’s been quite a bit of games where we haven’t really needed the back end this postseason, so I don’t feel like anybody’s overworked.”

Chad Green, Britton and closer Aroldis Chapman combined for five scoreless, hitless innings in Thursday’s 5-1 Game 4 victory, retiring 15 of the 16 Rays that they faced. As ace right-hander Gerrit Cole takes the ball on three days’ rest in the winner-take-all Game 5, Britton said he isn’t expecting the bullpen phone to ring early.

“A guy like Gerrit, once he gets on the mound, he’s going to compete,” Britton said. “He’s going to give you everything he’s got. He’s got great stuff and he’s the ultimate competitor. When you get on the mound, all you’re thinking about is getting outs. You’re not really worried about what day it is in your routine.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that there was no set pitch limit for Cole, who threw 97 pitches over six innings in his Game 1 victory on Monday. Boone said that he would check with Cole inning by inning as the game proceeds, calling Cole “an animal” who can’t wait to get to the mound.

“We’ve got Gerrit Cole going, and we know who we’d ideally like to get it to and finish this thing off,” Boone said. “There is no tomorrow, obviously. That’s very different than a regular-season scenario, where you’re considering the week ahead and all that. We’ll have a road map, but how Gerrit’s doing and feeling will determine a lot.”

All rise
Aaron Judge has collected three hits in 27 postseason at-bats (.111) entering play on Friday, two of which were home runs. Boone said that despite the numbers, he sees encouraging signs that warrant Judge’s continued place in the No. 2 lineup spot.

“I’ve liked his batting practices the last couple of days,” Boone said. “I feel like with Judgie, it’s one at-bat that really locks him in, clicks in and gets him going. He’s such a dangerous presence. I know with him, it’s a matter of time before he locks it in and becomes the best player on the field like he normally is.”

California adventure
The strangest part of this week-long, neutral-site ALDS between the Yankees and Rays at San Diego’s Petco Park has been laundry-related, according to Britton.

“The weirdest thing is just swapping out the grays and whites in the same ballpark, in the same clubhouse,” Britton said. “Everything else, they’ve done a good job for us here. The baseball is the baseball, right? You’re just at a different place. It would be nice to be at home in front of our fans or even on the road in front of fans.”

This date in Yankees history
Oct. 9, 1996: Derek Jeter hit a controversial home run in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the Orioles, as young Jeffrey Maier reached over the right-field wall at Yankee Stadium, deflecting an eighth-inning drive that tied the game, 4-4. Bernie Williams won the game in the 11th with a walk-off homer.