Erik Boland

For the second time in three years, the Yankees enter the Winter Meetings in a holding pattern as they wait for a superstar outfielder to make a decision about his future.

The Yankees have significant holes to fill. Among those needs: bullpen arms, first base and either third base or second base, depending on where the Yankees choose to play Jazz Chisholm Jr.

DALLAS — While praising Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner for going “beyond our comfort level” in dollars offered to try to retain Juan Soto and

DALLAS – The Yankees' organizational pivot from losing out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes began to take shape Tuesday afternoon with the signing of top-line starter Max Fried.

Arenado, who is 33, is an eight-time All-Star and has three years left on his contract with St. Louis.

Pitchers like Marcus Stroman and Nestor Cortes are more expendable should the team enter the trade market. Even Luis Gil could be used in a megadeal.

For all the stories about what may have swayed the superstar, Cashman implied that, as things like this usually do, the ultimate decision went no deeper than dollars and cents.

DALLAS – Brian Cashman arrived here early Sunday night for the winter meetings a bit later than expected, his 3 p.m. flight out of LaGuardia delayed about one and a half hours.

The Yankees entered this past week's winter meetings in Dallas expecting to hear, one way or the other, news regarding their top winter priority – retaining star outfielder Juan Soto

A rival American League bench coach spoke by phone this past week regarding the Yankees' loss of Juan Soto to the Mets. But he first had a question.