It could be one of the ugliest days in Yankees history.

On Friday night, the most iconic uniform in sports will be tarnished when the Yankees take the field for the first time with Starr Insurance patches stitched to their pinstripes.

Then, the Yankees — riding a four-game losing streak — will walk a tightrope in front of an irate home crowd, prepared to pounce on any mistake made by the World Series contender turned last-place team.

Back in The Bronx for the first time in nearly two weeks, the Yankees make their second-half home debut against the Royals, returning with no room for error and no reason for optimism after going 1-5 on a trip to Colorado and Anaheim.

“We’re not very good right now,” manager Aaron Boone said after Wednesday’s loss to the Angels. “We understand that. Certainly, this is a low point for us. The silver lining is it is in front of us and we control that and understand that.”

The Yankees haven’t won a series since facing the MLB-worst A’s at the end of June. This weekend’s three-game set against the Royals (28-69) — competing with the A’s for baseball’s worst record — could be a much-needed remedy for the Yankees.

Friday night, the Royals — who are 1-7 in their past eight road games — will give Alec Marsh (0-3, 5.40 ERA) his fourth career start. On Saturday, Kansas City will go with Brady Singer (6-8, 5.70 ERA). On Sunday, the Yankees will match up against Jordan Lyles (1-11, 6.05).

It would be hyperbole to declare the season dead without winning the series, but it would feel like doomsday.

If you can’t beat the Royals, who can you beat?

Aaron Judge’s return date remains uncertain. The team is 15-22 since he injured his toe. Anthony Rizzo admitted “the mood’s down, for sure.” Carlos Rodon is three starts into a six-year, $162 million contract and blowing sarcastic kisses at critical fans. Tommy Kahnle is venting his frustrations with violent outbursts on a dugout fan, giving a snapshot of the emotion of fans who have spent the past month watching a roster that is being paid roughly $295 million and has become the first Yankees team since 1990 to be in last place this late in a season.

Their past four series losses have come against teams without winning records. Playing in the best division in baseball, the Yankees could miss the postseason for the first time since 2016. They could finish in last place for just the third time since 1912.

Yet, the Yankees are only four games out of a wild card spot. They still have 65 games left on their schedule. It is the one silver lining to be found.

Welcome home.

Today’s back page

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⚾ Mets can’t secure White Sox sweep in Jose Quintana’s debut

⚾ HEYMAN: Shohei Ohtani’s trade fate rests in Arte Moreno’s hands

🏈 NFL fines Dan Snyder $60M on his way out the door

Big night for the beautiful game

You can spend tonight watching the Yankees try to find their footing or the Mets visit Fenway Park or old highlights of Saquon Barkley.

Another option is a team which rarely disappoints its fans.

Team USA makes its debut at this year’s women’s World Cup (9 p.m., Fox) in New Zealand, where Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and the two-time defending champs take on Vietnam. While the U.S. is attempting to become the first team in World Cup history — men or women — to win the tournament three straight times, Vietnam is making its first appearance on the sport’s grandest stage.

The last time that Team USA was such a heavy favorite in a World Cup match, it left with a record-setting 13-0 win over Thailand in 2019.

About an hour before Team USA takes the field, soccer will also seize the spotlight in the States, when Lionel Messi makes his debut with Inter Miami (8 p.m.).

A little over 48 years after Pele played his first game with the New York Cosmos at Downing Stadium on Randall’s Island, another contender for the title of the greatest player of all time will spark a new era of soccer in America.

Messi’s debut will not come in MLS play — currently on a month-long break — but in the Leagues Cup opener against Cruz Azul of Mexico’s Liga MX’s at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Unless you plan on buying one of the tickets being offered for four or five figures on ticket resale sites, the only way to watch Messi is with the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Hold (out) your horses

It may be some time before we see Saquon Barkley again.

He recently — and correctly — publicly acknowledged that his only leverage is to sit out regular-season games, to remind the Giants that he is one of their most valuable and versatile and popular players, that his production and leadership cannot be filled by a fifth-round rookie (Eric Gray), a former sixth-round pick with 32 career carries (Gary Brightwell) and an undrafted veteran with two rushing touchdowns in the past three seasons (Matt Breida).

Barkley, explosive Cowboys back Tony Pollard and league-leading rusher Josh Jacobs each were given franchise tags. Four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook, two-time All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott, former Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt and Super Bowl champ Leonard Fournette are all currently unemployed. Former Pro Bowlers Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones took significant pay cuts.

Every one of those running backs is under 30.

Star power at the position has never been less valued in a sport now primarily played through the air, but running backs have been playing the disrespect card (often, rightfully) for decades. No position in football has had a greater number of notable holdouts.

Soon, we will find out if Barkley will climb the ranks of this infamous list:

Ezekiel Elliott

A lot has changed in four years. With two years remaining on his contract, Elliott — the NFL’s leading rusher the season prior — staged a 40-day holdout, which ended with the Cowboys making him the highest-paid running back in league history on a six-year, $90 million deal ($50 million guaranteed).

Le’Veon Bell

One of the league’s best all-around backs during his first five years in Pittsburgh, Bell made one of the strongest stances in history after being franchise-tagged for a second straight season in 2018. Bell became the most recent player to sit out an entire season due to a contract dispute, then earned a four-year, $52.5 million deal ($35 million guaranteed) with the Jets as a free agent.

Chris Johnson

A three-time Pro Bowler and 2,000-yard rusher, Johnson was entering his fourth season when he decided to hold out with two years remaining on his contract with the Titans. After more than a month, Johnson agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal ($30 million guaranteed).

Larry Johnson

Following one of the best two-season stretches by a running back in league history, the Chiefs star spent nearly a month away from the team before the 2007 season. He signed a six-year, $45 million deal ($19 million guaranteed), but saw his body break down after receiving a record-setting 416 carries in 2006.

Marshall Faulk

Faulk held out before playing one game with the Rams. Following a trade from the Colts in 1999, the future Hall of Famer held out for 12 days until he signed a seven-year, $45.2 million contract ($9.6 million guaranteed). That season, Faulk starred for the “Greatest Show on Turf” and won a Super Bowl ring. The next year, he was named league MVP.

Emmitt Smith

The league’s all-time leading rusher threatened the Cowboys’ back-to-back title hopes in 1993. Smith held out for two months — including missing two regular-season games, which the Cowboys lost — and Jerry Jones responded by offering a record-setting four-year, $13.6 million contract. Smith led the Cowboys to 12 wins in the final 14 regular-season games, then earned MVP honors in another Super Bowl win.

Bo Jackson

Despite warnings from the two-sport star that he would never play for the Bucs — the running back held them responsible for being declared ineligible for his senior baseball season at Auburn, following a meeting with the NFL team as a college athlete — they still selected the Heisman Trophy winner with the first pick in the 1986 NFL Draft. Jackson made good on his promise, sitting out the football season while playing baseball with the Kansas City Royals’ organization. Only after being drafted in the seventh round of the 1987 NFL Draft and given permission by Raiders owner Al Davis to pursue both sports did Jackson return to football.

Eric Dickerson

One holdout wasn’t enough for this Hall of Famer. After leading the league in rushing his first two seasons and setting a single-season rushing record (2,105 yards) that still stands, Dickerson missed the first two games of the 1985 season during his 46-day holdout. The running back returned without a new contract — he played out a $350,000 deal that season while receiving a $4 million insurance policy against major injury — and didn’t receive his big payday until being traded to the Colts in 1987. Three years later, Dickerson missed five Colts games during an 80-day holdout before receiving a four-year extension. He retired before that contract was completed.

John Riggins

The Washington running back was 31 in 1980, when the team refused to meet his $300,000-per-season price and he opted to retire. One year later, new head coach Joe Gibbs convinced Riggins to come back. Upon his return, Riggins declared, “I’m bored, I’m broke and I’m back.” The next season, Riggins was named Super Bowl MVP.

Duane Thomas

A breakout star as a rookie in 1970, Thomas led the league in yards per carry (5.3). His desire for a new deal the next season was turned down by Cowboys management, leading Thomas to label Tom Landy a “plastic man,” personnel director Gil Brandt a “liar” and general manager Tex Schramm “totally demented.”

Thomas refused to report to training camp and was traded to the Patriots, whose own issues with Thomas led commissioner Pete Rozelle to void the deal, sending Thomas back to Dallas.

In his second and final season with the Cowboys, Thomas rarely spoke to teammates or coaches, yet led the NFL with 11 rushing touchdowns and added another two scores and 95 yards rushing in the Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI win. He was traded in the offseason to San Diego. He failed to report to the team and was suspended, never playing a game with the Chargers.