The Yankees were without Aaron Judge, much offense and arguably much hope.

In the closing innings of a game that seemed dead, though, they found a pulse.

The Yankees, led by No. 2-hitter Harrison Bader, pushed across three runs in the bottom of the eighth to complete a surprise comeback in a 5-3 win against the mighty Rangers in front of a sellout crowd of 46,064 in The Bronx on Sunday.

The Yankees (43-35), amid all the Judge uncertainty and offensive malaise, somehow have won two straight series and grabbed four of six in the homestand. And they did it in rare fashion, improving to 3-27 when trailing after seven innings this season.

In the game-deciding bottom of the eighth, Anthony Volpe smacked a leadoff double to left-center. Jose Trevino could not get a bunt down but then singled to the left side, with Volpe staying at second.

After a Gleyber Torres fly out, Texas manager Bruce Bochy turned to righty Yerry Rodriguez to face Bader — who ripped a two-run double to left to put the Yankees on top for the first time in the game.

Giancarlo Stanton followed with a rocket single to left to give the Yankees a rare cushion.

The Yankees entered the frame with just four hits and promptly doubled that number. Previously, their only runs came in the second inning, when DJ LeMahieu’s double to right-center drove in two, but they were held scoreless by former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas bullpen the following six innings.

The Yankees’ pitching ensured they won a series in which they scored only eight runs.

Michael King, who had allowed six runs in his previous three innings, bounced back to pitch a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the year.

King followed Jimmy Cordero, Nick Ramirez and Ron Marinaccio, who all held the Rangers scoreless and allowed the Yankees’ offense time to break through.

The Yankees made an early mistake, but it turned out, they would be forgiven. In the first inning, Torres took off from second base when Bader hit a bloop to shallow right with no outs. Marcus Semien made a nice sliding catch as Torres already had rounded third. He was doubled off on a base-running mistake for the second time in five games.

Typically, the Yankees’ limp offense cannot recover from such a mistake, but Sunday proved to be different.

Gerrit Cole was not his usual self, but did not need to be. For the first time all year — and first time since June 9, 2022 — Cole failed to complete five innings.

The Yankees ace kept his team afloat but did not keep it on top while allowing three runs on nine hits and a walk in 4 ²/₃ innings.

The Yankees’ bullpen was short, with Clay Holmes, Wandy Peralta and Tommy Kahnle used often. The Rangers’ relentless offense — which entered as the majors’ best, in terms of runs scored — worked Cole and consistently made solid contact.

The Yankees were down a run just two batters into the game, Semien doubling before Corey Seager singled him in.

The ditch got deeper in the second, when Jonah Heim smacked a first-pitch home run. Ezekiel Duran hit a one-out double, was balked to third and scored on a Leody Taveras double.

Cole did not need to be on, though. And for a day, the Yankees did not need Judge. In a rarity, the Other Guys showed up.