ST. PETERSBURG - The Tampa Bay Rays enter the final four games of the regular season with the AL’s top seed, home-field advantage through the AL Championship Series, and one overriding priority: getting healthy before Game 1 of the AL Division Series on Oct. 3.

The Rays dropped a 9-2 decision at Yankee Stadium Wednesday but had already clinched the division and the AL’s best record. Manager Kevin Cash began managing for October immediately, holding shortstop Taylor Walls, Yandy Díaz and Chandler Simpson out of the lineup while Jonathan Aranda served as the designated hitter.

“I just want to see good health and some guys freshened up. It’s been a long season. They’ve played really hard to get to this point,” Cash said. “Let’s find a way to continue to get our work in, and I know and trust that whoever’s on that field, they’re going to do everything they can to win games.”

To protect his rotation, Cash called up right-hander Mason Englert to start Wednesday in place of left-hander Ian Seymour. Englert allowed eight runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings, but the move pushed Seymour to Thursday’s series finale at Yankee Stadium, Freddy Peralta to Friday’s opener in Philadelphia and Griffin Jax to Saturday’s game - giving the club’s top starters additional rest heading into October.

Three pitchers remain question marks for the ALDS roster. Left-hander Shane McClanahan, dealing with left forearm tightness, is not likely to be available for the first round, Cash said. Setup man Tyler Wells and lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger are both working through right and left forearm tightness, respectively, but Cash said both are throwing bullpen sessions and could pitch to hitters next week. Infielder Ben Williamson and Walls have returned, while reliever Manuel Rodríguez is with the team but not yet active.

“It’s a real benefit of getting it wrapped up last night that you have some time, you have some games,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said during a Rays.TV appearance Wednesday. “Just giving [us] time to sort through the roster.”

Neander and Cash said formal roster decisions won’t begin in earnest until after Sunday’s regular-season finale in Philadelphia. The Rays’ first-round opponent - likely the Yankees or Red Sox pending the AL Wild Card Series - will also shape how they construct their ALDS bullpen. The club plans to hold a pair of scrimmages at Tropicana Field during their bye week, drawing from players working out at their spring complex in Port Charlotte.

Beyond the team picture, third baseman Junior Caminero is chasing history. Caminero has started all 162 games at third base this season - a feat no AL player has accomplished at that position since Cal Ripken Jr. in 1997. He is also in contention for the AL home run title and is making his case for AL MVP against Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez.

“I applaud Junior for having that mentality. We’ll see how we get there. It’s probably a daily conversation,” Cash said. “In today’s game, that’s not nearly done as frequently as it maybe used to be. But Cami’s a special player, as we all know, and he wants to complete a full season.”

Winning 100 games for the second time in franchise history is also within reach. The Rays open the ALDS at Tropicana Field on Oct. 3.