BALTIMORE — There is no denying the Yankees have missed Aaron Judge since the All-Star right fielder went on the disabled list late last month with a fractured right hand.

Anybody want to bet the bullpen won’t take a dip with Aroldis Chapman on the shelf for who knows how long with tendinitis in his left knee?

If you believe the .188 average Gary Sanchez lugged to the DL three days before Judge joined him there will improve when he returns, then a case could be built that the Yankees have missed him, though below average defense and a sub-.200 average aren’t much to miss.

Though it was a short stint on the DL, the Yankees had to watch Luis Cessa fill in for CC Sabathia once, and that might have been the last time the Yankees turn to Cessa.

Yet, as the Yankees start an 11-game stretch Friday against the worst teams — Orioles, White Sox and Tigers — MLB has to offer, they have their fingers crossed Didi Gregorius’ bruised left heel heals quickly enough to have him come off the DL on Thursday against the Tigers, which is the first day he is eligible.

“He is the one they can least afford to lose for a long time,’’ a scout who covers the Yankees said Thursday. “He is so good defensively and has hit well in the middle of the lineup.’’

After speculating that Judge could be out three weeks — it has been four and he hasn’t wrapped his hands around a bat yet — the Yankees haven’t put a timeline on any of the other DL residents. They were sure Sabathia’s would be a short stint, but have been mum on Gregorius and Chapman.

When Gregorius, who is hitting .270 with 22 homers, 74 RBIs and has an OPS of .815, was hurt this past Sunday when he collided with Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales, the Yankees shifted Gleyber Torres from second to shortstop.

Though Torres was a shortstop coming through the Cubs’ system, it’s clear to see in the two games he has started at short that he isn’t in the same class defensively as Gregorius regarding range, hands and throwing accuracy. And since Torres came off the DL (hip problem), he is hitting .194 (18-for-93) in 25 games with a .276 on-base percentage and a .588 OPS. In 87 games the 21-year-old right-handed hitter is batting .267 with 18 homers, 53 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .331 and an .820 OPS. When the Yankees split two games with the awful Marlins in Miami this week, Torres went 2-for-9 and made a fielding error at short.

“He seems to rush things in the field,’’ the scout said of a player the Yankees rave about having a strong feel for playing defense at second. His 12 errors are one behind team leader Miguel Andujar.

When Torres moved to short, the Yankees started Neil Walker at second base for the two games in Miami. He went 3-for-6 with three RBIs, but isn’t as adept defensively at second as Torres.

The Orioles, White Sox and Tigers are so bad the Yankees should be able to survive without Gregorius and the others on the DL. Then, the Yankees open a crucial nine-game road trip on Sept. 3 in Oakland. The Yankees were 3 ½ games ahead of the surging Athletics in the race for the top AL wild-card spot going into the Oakland’s game Thursday against the Twins.

When the Yankees open a four-game series Friday night at Camden Yards, they will be 9 ½ lengths back of the Red Sox in the AL East. Barring an epic collapse and a sizzling Yankees streak, the Red Sox are going to win the AL East. The Yankees are also the play to make the postseason. Nevertheless, the Yankees playing host for the wild-card game is a must, and for the Yankees to hold off the A’s in that race they must have Gregorius back as soon as he is eligible.