ARLINGTON, Texas — The Yankees are essentially punting the decision on their rotation crunch down the road, but with Nestor Cortes changing roles one time through in the interim.

Cortes will pitch in relief this weekend against the Cubs as a piggyback, likely behind Clarke Schmidt on Saturday, though manager Aaron Boone left the door open for him to pitch behind Luis Gil on Friday.

Following Gil and Schmidt, who will both be starting for the first time since coming off the injured list, Gerrit Cole will start Sunday’s series finale at Wrigley Field, followed by Carlos Rodon and Marcus Stroman on Monday and Tuesday against the Royals.

Cortes is then expected to slot back into the rotation next week against the Red Sox (in a four-game series that starts on Thursday in The Bronx) as the Yankees use a six-man rotation one time through before deciding which starter will come out of it down the stretch — assuming everyone stays healthy.

“I think it just lines up the best way that way, having to get two people integrated back in and Clarke wanting to get built up,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 7-4 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field. “And with the off day [Thursday], not wanting to push too many people back on seven days, eight days, whatever. I think this made the most sense.

“Nestor will go back into the rotation in the Boston series and coming out of that we’ll go six that first time, assuming everything’s fine and good. And then at some point, hopefully we’ll have a decision to make because a lot of people are posting and doing well.”

Boone said Cortes, who has experience as a reliever, took the news “alright.”

“He wants to start, but he also wants to win,” Boone said. “He’ll be a pro. And again, he’s not out of the mix as a starter.”

As for how the Yankees will ultimately make the decision on which starter comes out of the rotation, Boone indicated it would not be based strictly on results.

“A lot of it will come down to results, fit, opponent, that kind of thing,” he said.

Cole remains on track to start Sunday despite exiting Monday’s start in the bottom of the seventh with a right calf cramp. By Tuesday, he indicated it was a non-issue and joked that he needed to eat more bananas instead of the apple sauce he ate heading into Monday’s start.

The Yankees may not be quite out of the woods on another injury scare from Monday’s game, though, as Austin Wells was still sore on Tuesday after getting on the right hand/wrist with a 95 mph fastball.

Wells underwent X-rays Tuesday that came back negative but was out of the lineup with Jose Trevino starting against Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney.

The Yankees transferred Jon Berti’s rehab assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he started at third base Tuesday night before being scheduled to start in the outfield on Wednesday.

He will then get Thursday off before likely repeating the infield-outfield starts this weekend.

“He’s probably in play about any time now,” Boone said of the veteran coming back from a calf strain. “I think he’ll be a nice fit when that time comes, whether that’s a couple days from now or within a week from now.”

Aaron Judge was named the AL Player of the Month for August, the third time he has won the award this season (along with May and June).

He hit .389 (35-for-90) with a 1.386 OPS, 12 home runs, six doubles, 25 walks and 24 RBIs in 26 games in August.