The Yankees' new guy has turned on. Their best player has come alive. Their suspended lightning rod, while appealing his ban, has delivered a jolt of juice at the plate and on the back page.
Yet, it's impossible to ignore the elephant of playoff math in the room. It has outsized dimensions — deficits measuring eight games in the division and 6 1/2 games in the wild-card race — and slings an arithmetic from its trunk that none of the propeller heads can alter with new formulas.
Alfonso Soriano's sizzling streak, which came to an end Sunday night in Boston during a pulsating 9-6 Yankees victory over the Red Sox, has been jaw-dropping. In the past six games, even including Sunday's 0-for-6, Soriano is batting .536 (15-for-28) with five homers and 18 RBIs.
AP
SUMMER SLAMS: Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Cano — whose bats have come alive in Alex Rodriguez's two weeks with the Yankees — celebrate Soriano's home run this weekend in Boston.
And the elephant didn't budge.
Coinciding with the arrival of the appealing/appalling Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano hiked his batting average from .288 to .301 going into today's doubleheader against the lowly Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. He is batting .409 (20-for-49) with one homer and six RBIs during a 13-game hot streak.
That didn't nudge the elephant toward the door.
As hard as it is to believe, Rodriguez is gaining sympathizers in his two-headed fight against MLB and the Yankees' front office, which is in the awkward position of rooting for the highest-paid player in pinstripes to succeed on the field while admitting they don't want to talk to him off the field. MLB hit Rodriguez with a 211-game suspension, which he is appealing, for his involvement with the shuttered Biogenesis clinic. The Yankees are livid he has questioned their medical staff's actions last fall.
PHOTOS: POST COVERS A-ROD THROUGH THE YEARS
In a dozen games back from left hip surgery, Rodriguez is batting .319 (15-for-47) with two homers, six RBIs and a .896 slugging percentage. He drew sympathy Sunday night when Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster hit Rodriguez, presumably for his PED history.
And the elephant didn't move his pivot foot.
Having taken two of three from the Tigers, three of four from the Angels and two of three from Boston, the 64-59 Yankees are buoyed about their playoff chances.
But they are ignoring the math when they talk about sneaking into October.
"We are really focused right now, we have to win every game and every series and play with a lot of urgency," Rodriguez said.
With 36 games remaining, the idle Yankees trail the AL East-leading Red Sox by eight games after Boston's 7-0 win over the Gaints last night. In the chase for the second wild card, the A's, with a 2-1 win over the Mariners, grew their advantage to 6 1/2 games over the Yankees, who also have the Orioles and Indians in front of them.
Girardi said Saturday in Boston it likely would take a win total in the 90s to avoid missing the postseason for the second time on his watch.
In order to reach 90 wins — and that does not guarantee a wild-card ticket — the Yankees need to go 26-13 the rest of the way. That's playing .667 ball with CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte as question marks.
The schedule has enough soft spots in it. The Yankees have 10 games remaining with the Blue Jays and three apiece with the White Sox, Giants and Astros.
Yet six remain with the Orioles and Rays and seven with the Red Sox. And remember the Yankees uncomfortable position is due to them losing three straight to the White Sox earlier this month.
The drama surrounding Rodriguez is fascinating. Soriano had as good a week as anybody ever had. Cano is getting pitches to hit.
And the elephant is impossible to disregard.
george.king@nypost.com
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