This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch's Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

It wasn¡¯t long after Aaron Boone concluded his introductory call with Cody Bellinger, during which the veteran expressed willingness to play whatever position might be asked of him this coming season, that the manager saw an online report suggesting that Bellinger had already been promised center field.

¡°No, that¡¯s fake news, but he might,¡± Boone said a day later when the club formally introduced Max Fried with a Yankee Stadium press conference. ¡°We¡¯ve got to see where the offseason goes. That¡¯s one of the beauties of bringing in Cody, that he gives you that flexibility of -- depending on what moves we do or don¡¯t make moving forward -- you plug him in where you need to.¡±

As the Yankees prepare to close the book on 2024, a year in which they won 94 games to claim the American League East and secured the 41st pennant in franchise history before falling to the Dodgers in the World Series, the biggest remaining question is how they will continue to strengthen a lineup that has lost Juan Soto and others.

General manager Brian Cashman quickly pivoted to pitching after Soto chose the Mets¡¯ offer, signing Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal and striking a deal with the Brewers to import closer Devin Williams. The Bellinger acquisition came next in a swap with the Cubs, though the Yankees haven¡¯t yet determined if he¡¯ll see most of his playing time in left field, center field or at first base. Conceivably, Bellinger may wind up playing all of those positions in ¡¯25.

• Bellinger lobbied for trade to Yankees

¡°I told [Boone] that wherever you need me to play, I¡¯ll play,¡± Bellinger said. ¡°Whether it¡¯s left, center, or if [Aaron] Judge gets a DH day, I¡¯ll play right. If you need me at first, I¡¯ll play first. I enjoy doing that stuff. I think it helps the teams that I¡¯m on win.

¡°I learned a lot from Kik¨¦ Hern¨¢ndez; he¡¯s probably one of the best players I¡¯ve seen at being able to roam all around the field and just be above-average or excellent in all the positions he plays. I got to see how it¡¯s possible, and I knew that I had the ability to do it.¡±

In addition to Soto, other free agents from the Game 5 lineup against the Dodgers include first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Gleyber Torres, and left fielder Alex Verdugo -- none of whom are expected to return.

The disastrous fifth inning of that final World Series game may loom large over the winter, as club brass ponders avenues to tighten the defense, especially after adding a soft-contact pitcher like Fried to the rotation.

One possibility would be importing a more experienced third baseman than Jazz Chisholm, Jr., who gamely tackled the challenge of a new position in-season, but also had some rough edges at the position and might fit better at second base.

Cashman confirmed that he has spoken with agent Scott Boras about free agent Alex Bregman, while the Yankees have also engaged the Cardinals about Nolan Arenado, who would have to waive a no-trade clause. Cashman said the club¡¯s in-house alternatives for second base would include Oswaldo Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu, and Oswald Peraza.

The Yanks already imported a first baseman to upgrade a position where they lacked production last season, adding Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year, $12.5 million deal, per a source.

The 2022 National League MVP has seen his numbers fall off the last two years, but the 37-year-old still brings power presence and a reliable glove. It doesn¡¯t hurt that he and Judge worked out together in Tampa, Fla., before the ¡¯23 season, a couple of reigning MVPs swapping tips in the cage.

¡°Team building is about gravitating to the best players in the baseball universe,¡± Cashman said. ¡°In Juan Soto¡¯s case, he was a generational talent that came off the board and went in a different direction. So we continue to adjust all the time; it¡¯s just the ebbs and flows of a baseball winter. Every winter is different because the inventory is different.

¡°We just try to get after it the best we can and find our matches, and if we can, we have something to talk about. Whatever we do, the intent is always to try to give ourselves a better chance to be successful here in the upcoming campaign. So we¡¯ll see.¡±