The Yankees have it going right now. They are in the playoffs, perhaps a year ahead of schedule, and set up talent wise and financially to be high-end contenders for several years.

This is a bandwagon moment.

And yet the first defection from this gravy train is now certain. Derek Jeter, in his first significant hire since the purchase of the Marlins, lured Gary Denbo from Yankees VP of player development to become Miami’s director of player development and scouting.

The move was expected. Jeter has only a small circle of trust and Denbo — his key hitting guru as a player — has long been in that circle.

It is a key loss for the Yankees. After Jeter arrived fully in 1996, the Yankees for the next two decades had mostly terrible results out of their farm system, particularly with drafted players. Denbo had spent 23 years employed by the Yankees, but in the last three as a VP he has been praised for creating a better development plan to get players such as Greg Bird, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino to the majors at a high level.

If that is where the defections end, the Yanks will have a difficult time finding as capable a replacement.

But many executives have their contracts concluding at the end of October, notably those of Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi. As has long been the policy of Steinbrenner ownership, expiring deals are not addressed until the season is over.

Still, inside and outside the Yankees organization, there is a strong belief that Hal Steinbrenner will quickly re-up with Cashman as the rebuild plans he sold ownership on have generally gone so well.

Girardi is not the same certainty.

Steinbrenner is not his impetuous father, George, who might have fired Girardi after the botched replay situation in Friday’s Game 2. If Girardi is not asked back by Hal Steinbrenner, it would be for an accumulation of reasons, perhaps finalized by the replay faux pas, but not specifically because of it.

And Hal has always been seen within the Yankees organization as a Girardi ally.

The bigger question is not about Girardi being pushed as much as jumping.

There were times this season when Girardi — for as much as he can express it (which is not much) — appeared happy to be involved in the rise of the young Yankees core. But at the worst moments, the wear and tension has appeared to submerge him as bad as ever. There are times it feels like Girardi is cloaked in joylessness and strain.

Ten years at this job has an eroding impact, plus Girardi is invested in the lives of his three children, and there have been people around the team who have wondered if he has had enough and just might want to re-energize with time at home and around family.

If so — because of the accumulation of young talent and financial might — the Yankees managerial job would be coveted. Keep in mind Cashman has told colleagues that he thinks it is important for the GM to have a preexisting relationship with a manager because the lines of communication must constantly be open, and the stresses on the partnership will be fierce.

Cashman would not speak to any of this when reached by phone Monday. He would not even confirm Denbo’s departure, citing major league dictates not to make off-field news while the playoffs are ongoing. He would not even say if he feels that someone has been groomed for the job internally.

“It is all for another day, not now,” Cashman said. That was his policy on himself, Girardi and the whole group of executive with expiring contracts. Pretty much every significant Yankee in a leadership role except VP of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer has a contract coming to an end. That includes all of Girardi’s coaches, Cashman’s most trusted scouting voice, VP of Baseball Operations Tim Naehring, and one of his most important counsels, Jim Hendry, whose name has come up in a few scenarios, including joining Jeter in Miami, though as the week began there had been no contact.

“Hal has said this stuff will be dealt with at the end [of the Yankees season],” Cashman said. “That is not unusual. That is the way it’s always been here. This is no different.”

As for the potential of more significant upheaval than usual, Cashman cited the departure of his assistant GM, Billy Eppler, following the 2015 season and many others.

“It is part of the game,” Cashman said. “We’re used to it.”

The timing, though, is interesting. So many involved in getting the gravy train going in the right direction again will be without contracts in a few weeks.