Trevor Bauer was described as available and more than less likely to be traded by the Indians before Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline, two executives told The Post.

Bauer has been the Yankees’ No. 1 target among the starters viewed as available in some form. So that means Brian Cashman must change his approach from disciplined to practical.

Cashman’s discipline has generally served the Yankees well since they transitioned from the impetuousness of George Steinbrenner to the deliberateness of son Hal. The Yankees operate by a reason and process that has netted them oodles of depth, a strong present and a positive near future.

There are moments, though, when discipline needs a holiday. At this trade deadline, measured action is not going to net the Yankees the starter they crave. Supply is low, demand is high. If the Yankees hold to a logic to pay $1 in return for $1 worth of a starter, they are not going to upgrade a staff that needs impact. Even $1.10 might not get it done.

So practicality is needed. Or call it pragmatism. It is a step away from theory, from process.

The Yankees, Astros and Dodgers have stood above the sport this year. It does not guarantee a World Series title. But if you had to bet one of that trio or the field, which way would you go?

The Yankees are set up to have other chances in the near future. But this is the one in front of them. And they have only won one title in the past two decades. And, really, if not now, then when?

So if it takes a package headed by Clint Frazier or, more likely, Deivi Garcia to get Bauer or one fronted by Frazier to fall back to Arizona’s Robbie Ray, then Cashman must ignore the cold calculus of the printouts about overpays and secure the starter.

This is made harder to do given the flaws in Bauer and Ray. Neither is an unquestioned ace such as Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander. And Bauer comes with makeup questions while Ray with concerns about command.

Yet both have the kind of stuff to shut down any lineup when they are locked in and the Yankees need that possibility. The Yanks also just need to deepen the current group to avoid burnout of the best of the bullpen before the postseason. Bauer is a workhorse who leads the majors in innings.

Danny Salazar, who has not pitched in the majors in nearly two years due to shoulder problems, is due to start Thursday for the Indians. Corey Kluber (forearm fracture) is slated for a simulated game Saturday.

And Carlos Carrasco (leukemia) also might return for the Indians. That enables the Indians to more easily trade Bauer. Still, Cleveland began Tuesday as the AL wild-card leader and just two games behind the AL Central-leading Twins. So for the Indians, a Bauer trade would need to help them this year and set them up well for the near future.

Cleveland knows it would receive more for Bauer now with him available to an acquiring team for two pennant races rather than one (he is a free agent after next year) and with so many contenders needing a starter. Plus the Indians recognize they cannot fit his $20 million-ish 2020 salary into their budget, so it is trade him now or in the offseason.

Still, the Indians have a reputation for setting high prices in trade talks and not flinching, and this version of the Yankees does not deviate much from what it is willing to do. In recent days there was pessimism the sides could bridge the gap. So the Yanks are no frontrunners here with at least the Astros and Reds in talks, too.

In the recent past Cashman has not budged for Scherzer, Verlander, Chris Sale, Gerrit Cole, Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel because his assessment was the Yankees were not in the right place to make the big strike and/or he did not think requests fair in trades or free agency. Within that likely the best prospect they would have had to give up was Miguel Andujar to garner Cole. And that would have been painful. Andujar was brilliant last year.

But in unearthing Gio Urshela and signing DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees showed how expert they have become in finding position value. So if Frazier has to go to improve title chances, then he has to go. Where is he playing on a team so overflowing with righty power bats? Lefty Mike Tauchman might be another buy-low/high-result find for the Yanks and he is on the major league roster while Frazier is at Triple-A.

The 5-foot-9 Garcia is the Yankees’ top prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. But how many quality starters have the Yankees developed in the last, say, decade? How many quality righty starters are under 6 feet?

Of course there is risk the talented Garcia breaks the mold. But the Yankees are blessed with hard throwers up and down their system. They are not emptying future hope by moving him. And with how the Yankees are stacked in the majors with positional firepower, a rival executive said, “Their position players at the upper levels have no value to them except to be traded.”

I understand Cashman’s hesitance. It took him a long time to convince his bosses to stop building rosters by star hunting, being overly emotional and throwing their wallet at problems. He has constructed a system with scouts and analytics and sports science and psychological and financial breakdowns to avoid the overheated overpay.

But this starting market is not going to honor discipline. And the Yankees need a starter.

In this case, it is better to be practical and land what is needed, rather than disciplined and empty-handed.