The championship belt with the blue interlocking “NY” rested on the chair in front of Stephen Tarpley’s locker in the hours before Saturday’s game against the Rockies.

The Yankee lefty was awarded the belt by teammates for three one-hit innings of relief Friday night. He earned a save for the silliest of reasons in an 8-2 game — because he worked at least three innings, finished and did not blow the lead. But the real save was of the rest of the bullpen.

Bench coach Josh Bard, filling in Friday for the suspended Aaron Boone, had mentioned that to win, the Yankees were prepared to use their four main relievers — Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman. But having played 18 innings in a double-header Thursday against Tampa Bay, Bard had declared that less than ideal because it would cascade into unavailability the next day.

With a 162-game season, one day is linked to the next as surely as that “NY” is interconnected. So after Ottavino worked the sixth and the Yankees opened from 5-2 to 8-2 in the bottom of the inning, Tarpley’s shutout relief Friday night had value. Because on Saturday, Masahiro Tanaka cruised through five innings in intense heat, never even reaching a three-ball count and needing just 47 pitches as the Yankees raced to a 9-0 lead. But Tanaka buckled in the sixth, allowing five runs. Kahnle, though, was available.

He went 1-2-3 in the sixth to stabilize the game for the Yanks. And just as he had done Friday, Mike Tauchman helped instigate a late surge that blew the game open. David Hale — not Ottavino, Britton or Chapman — covered the final two innings and the Yankees won, 11-5.

Tarpley, Tauchman and Hale are part of a key element that has helped the Yankees soar to the majors’ best record. Injuries have forced the Yankees to need the equivalent of a 35-man roster. The front office has provided quality depth and Boone has maneuvered it to impact.

“We have had to lean on a lot of players this year,” Boone said.

This is not the NBA, where a star such as James Harden or Kawhi Leonard can dominate the ball and carry the team. Each major league club has to navigate about 12,500 plate appearances split between pitching and hitting. As Tauchman noted, “the physical and mental requirements are greater than they have ever been and so you better have real depth.”

The Yankees have been challenged. Three-quarters of the Opening Day infield — Greg Bird, Troy Tulowitzki and Miguel Andujar — have hardly played, and Dellin Betances and Luis Severino have not played at all. Didi Gregorius, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge and especially Giancarlo Stanton have endured long absences. Yet, the Yanks have not flinched.

“We have a lot of major league talent in the organization at Scranton, Trenton and obviously here,” Tauchman said.

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DJ LeMahieu, who seemed overkill upon his signing, has been the most valuable Yankee. He has been the best overall player these first two games against his old team and not just because he tacked on five more hits. He played brilliantly at first and third Saturday, which are his new positions.

Gio Urshela went from not on the 40-man roster to indispensable. Thairo Estrada, Clint Frazier and Tauchman all have hands in multiple wins.

The Yankees are 8-0 when Chad Green is used as an opener. Credit Green for getting his act together after his minor league pitstop. But that record also is attributable to Hale, Luis Cessa and Nestor Cortes Jr. providing superb work as the length pitchers in those games.

“It’s definitely a collective thing,” Tarpley said. “It is definitely big picture.”

Is it excellence at acquisition, continued upgrade at development, an outstanding culture? Probably all of that helps explain why so many have filled in around the Yankees stars and rather than wilting in this cauldron have helped the engine continue to purr. Hale and Tauchman are particularly interesting.

Maybe this is just Hale’s Aaron Small veteran out-of-nowhere blip. But his ERA is down to 2.25 in 32 ¹/₃ innings and, at 31, his role is enlarging. Tauchman has defensive acumen at three outfield spots, speed and a live lefty bat. Brett Gardner used that tool set to go from a perceived spare outfielder to a valued starter. Maybe there is more there for both, but even if they are just capitalizing on a moment in time it is helping the Yankees thrive through the long, withering season.

“You are going to have guys miss time and it is important that you don’t miss a beat,” Tauchman said. “I think some of our [spare] guys can be major contributors on other teams. But I love the role I’m in here. It doesn’t take 25 guys to win a championship. It takes 30 or 35.”