NEW YORK — Before first pitch on Wednesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked if Aaron Judge will start getting the Barry Bonds treatment this summer with how well he’s been swinging the bat.

Opposing teams could start to intentionally walk him or at least pitch around him in situations where a base is open to make sure he doesn’t hit a home run or do some damage.

They can then take their chances with whoever is hitting cleanup, a spot in the order that’s been a weakness for the Yankees since Giancarlo Stanton got hurt last month.

The Reds had an opportunity to possibly try out that strategy in the seventh inning on Wednesday night.

With the Yankees trailing by one — runners were on first and third with two men out — Judge stepped up to the plate. A sellout crowd of 47,646 was rocking. The Yankees had all momentum after plating two runs earlier in the frame. But instead of walking Judge to face first baseman J.D. Davis — or a pinch hitter — the Reds attacked Judge.

And it worked out perfectly.

Judge hooked a first-pitch fastball from reliever Fernando Cruz on the ground to Reds third baseman Noelvi Marte for a routine 5-4-3 double play. The Yankees were held scoreless over the next two frames and fell short in a debilitating 3-2 loss.

The Yankees have now lost five of their last six series, dropping from 27 games above .500 to 20 in that span.

That double play was killer for the Yankees, but it wasn’t the only reason why they dropped their second game in a row to the Reds.

Left-hander Carlos Rodón gave up three earned runs to take the loss. He struck out eight and pitched well when he leaned on his secondary pitches — a successful adjustment after the way his last few outings have gone — but was burned by slug once again.

The Yankees outhit the Reds, but couldn’t come up with a big hit over than the early stages of that fateful seventh frame. Designated hitter Jahmai Jones got it started with a ringing double into the corner and after a walk from pinch hitter Austin Wells, leadoff man Anthony Volpe drove both home with a double into the left-center gap. The two-run knock from Volpe snapped an 0-for-18 slide.

Runners were on base in the eighth and ninth innings as well for the Yankees, but they failed to bring in the tying run.

In the ninth, Wells started the inning with a 10-pitch walk, but he was promptly erased on a double play ball from Volpe. Soto then popped out to shallow left field to end the game with Judge on deck in the bottom of the ninth.

Asked if he considered giving Volpe the bunt sign, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he wanted to take a shot with the shortstop since he’s so hard to double up. Volpe then added that he wanted to stick to his plan and approach in that moment.

“I trust myself, trust my teammates, trust the coaching staff,” he said. “I expect to get the job done, not to roll into a double play there.”