BOSTON — On their flight from St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to Logan Airport early Thursday evening, the Yankees became a little bit less up in the air.

Aboard the chartered 757, Aaron Boone consulted with head trainer Steve Donohue about the status of Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks and received better-late-than-never news: Both were healthy enough to play again. So a few thousand feet over America, the Yankees manager began to formulate a lineup for Game 159 — but really for Game 163, the sudden-death wild-card game Wednesday against the Athletics.

“It was nice to write all of those names down,” Boone said.

The lineup that opened the final regular-season series probably will be the same nine that will deal with the A’s, though perhaps not in the same order. Gregorius, back from torn wrist cartilage, was hitting sixth with the Red Sox starting lefty Brian Johnson. He will probably bat higher against what is anticipated to be a procession of Oakland righty power pitchers.

The Yankees accomplished Job 1 this weekend by clinching home-field for the wild-card game by defeating the Red Sox, 11-6, on Friday. Gregorius went 1-for-5 and botched what should have been a game-ending double-play ball. Hicks, who was back from a tight left hamstring, hit a three-run homer, but also misplayed a ball in center.

Now, it’s on to Job 2, being in the best position to play Wednesday’s one-and-done.

The A’s, like the Yankees, want to get the game to their deep, talented bullpen because, as Boone noted, “if they get a lead, they can shorten the game on you.”

Perhaps Ryan Buchter will enter for a particular lefty-on-lefty matchup, but Oakland’s seven primary relievers — Blake Treinen, Jeurys Familia, Shawn Kelley, Emilio Pagan, Yusmeiro Petit, Fernando Rodney and Lou Trivino — are righties. All but Pagan do well against lefties. Still, because most of the other six rely on sinkers/two-seamers and/or sliders, the preference would be to have lefty batters face them.

Without Gregorius and Hicks, the Yankees probably would have had two lefty hitters in their place with definitely Brett Gardner and likely Neil Walker. But Gregorius and Hicks are more dangerous hitters, plus high-end middle-of-the-diamond defenders who make the Yankees better. That is why Boone felt so elevated a few thousand miles above America on Thursday.

“You have a sigh of relief and then excitement sets in,” Boone said.