MINNEAPOLIS — There were no guarantees from the Yankees’ clubhouse late Wednesday that the Red Sox would be dead in the AL East by Sunday evening.

Nor was anybody predicting the Yankees would spank the Red Sox like they did the Twins by taking the final two tilts of a three-game series at Target Field that ended with a 10-7 win in front of a sold-out crowd of 40,127 Wednesday night.

Yet there is no denying the Yankees arriving in Fenway Park for Thursday’s action with a fat 11-game lead over their blood rivals presents a chance to put the Red Sox to sleep in the AL East.

“Every time you play them is a chance to bury them. That’s what you want to do, expand the lead,’’ said Didi Gregorius, who wrecked the Twins in the final two games by going 8-for-10 with 10 RBIs, including a 3-for-5, three-RBI effort Wednesday night.

As the season moves toward its final two months, the Red Sox slide further away from winning the World Series last October. And the math says the Red Sox are up against it.

If the Yankees go 31-30 in their final 61 games, they would finish with 97 wins. That would mean the 56-47 Red Sox would need to go 41-15 in the final 56 games to tie them. Anybody want to take action on that happening based on the way the Red Sox have played so far?

“I don’t think it will change anything,’’ Brett Gardner said of entering New England’s living room 11 lengths ahead of the Red Sox, who have lost five of seven to the Yankees this year. “Obviously we have been playing well to this point. We haven’t played them there yet this year, which is weird. It’s a big series and we always look forward to playing there. It should be a fun weekend.’’

The four-game series will be the first time the Yankees and Red Sox meet since they staged a two-game slugfest in London June 29-30 that the Yankees swept with 17-13 and 12-8 victories that were technically home games for the Red Sox.

While the Yankees hitters who produced 30 runs, eight homers and 48 hits in three games at Target Field this week would like to carry that into Fenway, the Yankee starters need to improve on a current trend.

In the last four games, James Paxton, CC Sabathia, Domingo German, who will all face the Red Sox, and J.A. Happ have a combined 15.07 ERA, have given up 26 hits, 10 of which were homers, and nine walks. They also hit two batters. That’s 37 base runners in 14 ¹/₃ innings.

Happ gave up six runs and six hits (two homers) in 3 ¹/₃ innings Wednesday before being rescued by Nestor Cortes Jr. in the fourth. Cortes worked 3 ¹/₃ innings and allowed one run. Tommy Kahnle stranded the two runners he inherited from Cortes in the seventh and worked a clean eighth.

Aroldis Chapman, who flushed his fifth save on Tuesday when a bout of wildness smothered him, recorded the final three outs for his 26th save. The final pitch of the game was a 101-mph fastball that Nelson Cruz whiffed on.

Aaron Hicks, Gleyber Torres and Edwin Encarnacion all homered for the Yankees, who have won seven of their last nine games.

“They are the defending champs and have a lot of the same ingredients that were part of that club last year,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “We know we have to be at our best like here in Minnesota. The same rings true with the Red Sox, especially when we go to Fenway. We have to put our best foot forward to have a chance at success.’’