Joe Girardi said he is waiting to talk to Masahiro Tanaka before committing to pitching his ace Wednesday against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

When the Yankees manager started Tanaka on Friday night against the Mets in the first of three Subway Series games at Citi Field, it was the second straight game Tanaka worked with four days’ rest instead of the five the Yankees have tried to give him throughout the season.

The strategy, which Girardi never made public but admitted Saturday, “was the original plan,” setting up the Yankees’ best pitcher to face the Blue Jays on Wednesday on four days’ rest. However, the Yankees are 3 ½ lengths behind the AL East leaders after Saturday’s win. And by Wednesday, that deficit could swell to the point where the Yankees’ focus shifts from attempting to be divisional champs to setting up Tanaka to start the Oct. 6 AL wild card game.

“I think it’s a little bit early to ask,” Girardi said Saturday morning about talking to Tanaka about how he felt less than 24 hours after going six innings and throwing 82 pitches in a 5-1 loss Friday night — when he gave up two homers. “We will see how he feels [Sunday] when he can maybe play some catch.’’

Girardi said Tanaka’s physical situation overrides the Yankees’ proximity to the Blue Jays come Wednesday.

“I am talking about how he feels more than anything else,’’ said Girardi, who has Adam Warren, Luis Severino and Tanaka lined up to face the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. “I am not talking about the standings, I am talking more about how he feels. There are things to talk about but not something I am prepared to talk about today.’’