“We understand that he’s a free agent at the end of this term,” the general manager said. “We understand that it’s a possible short-term situation.”

Soto, a Scott Boras client expecting a massive payday, is all but guaranteed to test the open market after the 2024 campaign comes to an end. He won’t be the only Yankee to do so.

The team’s other expected free agents include Gleyber Torres, Alex Verdugo, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, Jonathan Loáisiga and Caleb Ferguson. The Yankees’ hope is that those players will find some inspiration in their impending free agency as the club seeks a return to the playoffs.

“I think anytime a guy is in a free agent or walk year, that’s one of those additional carrots that exist, hopefully, for a guy to make sure, man, I’ve got to do everything possible to put myself in position to be the best I could possibly be,” Aaron Boone, entering the last guaranteed year of his own contract, said at the start of spring training. “Yeah, I think it can be a motivator. I think sometimes it can be a pressure, too, that probably goes the other way. It’s how you handle it. Hopefully it is another one of those things that drives you in the right way to be uber prepared for what’s ahead.”

Boone has used that word — “carrot” — when talking about some of the individuals above, including Verdugo and Torres.

A newcomer like Soto, Verdugo fell short of expectations on and off the field in Boston, his last stop. However, Boone believes there is more in the outfielder’s bat, which has produced roughly league average results over the last three seasons.

“When he goes to swing at a pitch, he can lay the barrel of the bat on the ball,” the manager said. “That’s always kind of been a calling card of his going back to when he was a prospect with the Dodgers. But I also think there’s some thump in there. There’s probably more to tap into. I don’t want him to go chase that necessarily. I want him to just be a good hitter in what we hope’s a really good lineup, but I do feel like there’s a lot more in there.”

Because of his free agency and a few young outfielders, including Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, Verdugo may not stay in the Bronx beyond this season. However, the lefty swinger could entice other teams if he takes advantage of Yankee Stadium’s short porch and stays on his best behavior.

While Torres wants to remain, that scenario seems unlikely, as the second baseman has been the subject of trade rumors for years and has not heard from the Yankees about a possible extension.

However, Torres is hoping that a strong season leads to contract talks this winter.

“I don’t want to leave here. I feel at home right now,” Torres recently said. “I want to be a Yankee for life.”

Torres added that he didn’t blame the Yankees for not approaching him with a deal, as he noted that extensions for Luis Severino and Aaron Hicks didn’t work out for the team.

Hal Steinbrenner also mentioned his preference to avoid extensions. However, the owner wouldn’t say no to one for Soto, so long as it didn’t cause a distraction.

“I’m not big on extensions, as you know,” Steinbrenner said. “We’ve rarely done them. My concern dealing with that during the season is that it’s a distraction — at least it very well could be a distraction. Having said that — talking about Soto — if both sides feel very strongly about it and Cash feels very strongly about it, then that’s something I would consider depending on how the season’s going. We just can’t have it be a distraction.”

Soto, meanwhile, doesn’t want to look too far ahead, though questions about his future will persist.

“I have a lot of trust in [Boras] and what he’s going to do,” Soto said. “I trust him so much that I just forget about that and I just come here to play baseball.”

While no doors are being slammed shut, the Yankees would have to blow Soto and Boras away with an offer to land a signature prior to free agency. Even that may not be enough to stop the slugger from testing the open market.

Getting an extension signed by someone like Holmes, who has proven capable of closing in New York, may be more doable.

While the righty said that he hasn’t thought about his future when asked about it on Tuesday, Holmes is another impending free agent who enjoys playing for the Yankees and is open to a long-term deal.

However, there have not been any extension talks between the two sides, and the Yankees have demonstrated a knack for finding relief diamonds in the rough. Holmes is an example of one, and the Yankees could use more cost-efficient approaches to replace him and some of their other bullpen pieces heading for free agency.

The same move was made for fellow outfielder Brandon Lockridge and infielders Jeter Downs and Caleb Durbin. While these transactions are merely procedural — none of the four were expected to make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster — the announcement followed a stellar run for Jones.

While the 2022 first-round pick can still appear in spring training games, his time in big league camp ended with a .467/.556/1.289 slash line, six runs, seven hits, one home run and four RBI over 15 at-bats and eight games. The one home run came in Jones’ first at-bat of the spring and traveled a whopping 470 feet.

Spencer Jones hits one 470 feet!

The @Yankees No. 2 prospect hit a ball where very few land. #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/QQts34NofI

— MLB (@MLB) February 24, 2024

While the towering dinger grabbed attention, Jones also never swung and missed prior to the reassignment. That’s impressive on its own, but even more so when considering the 22-year-old struck out 155 times last year.

Jones, who doubled in Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Mets, spent the offseason tweaking his bat path and shortening his left-handed swing.

“Just doing some different patterns with the baseball bat,” Jones recently said. “Got some work in this offseason with the hitting coach who helped me out a lot. It was just putting things in context for me and phrasing them in ways I hadn’t really thought of before. It’s been beneficial to me so far, and I’m excited to see what progress we can make during the season.”

So far, the changes have paid off.

Jones will get a chance to implement them in real games at Double-A, where he is expected to begin the regular season. That’s according to Brian Cashman, who noted that Jones only played in 17 games for Somerset last year.

While Jones still has a few levels to conquer, reaching the majors this season is not impossible.

Jasson Domínguez, for example, enjoyed a strong spring before playing at Double-A and Triple-A last year. He parlayed that into a sensational cup of coffee in the majors last September. The Yankees’ disastrous season surely influenced The Martian’s expedited timeline, but he also showed an ability to hit major league pitching as a 20-year-old before tearing his UCL.

Jones noticed Domínguez’s fast-track, but he’s not trying to mimic his fellow center fielder’s path in 2024.

“Jasson’s an incredible player,” Jones said. “Everybody in the world is starting to figure that out now. But he had a really, really strong year last year.

“My plan is just to continue developing as I have been. Whatever happens this season happens.”

OUTFIELD ALIGNMENTS

During an in-game interview with ESPN on Tuesday, Aaron Boone said that he’s leaning toward keeping Juan Soto in right field, Aaron Judge in center and Alex Verdugo in left.

It would have made sense for Soto, a worse defender, and Verdugo to switch between corner spots depending on the ballpark. Houston and Boston, for example, have less ground to cover in left field. Meanwhile, right field is the easier position at Yankee Stadium.

Instead, it sounds like Boone may just keep everyone in place, though Trent Grisham is sure to get plenty of time in center with Judge expected to DH a bit more often. The Yankees are also hoping that a reshaped Giancarlo Stanton can be an occasional option in the corners.

AVOIDING VERLANDER

The Yankees won’t have to worry about Justin Verlander when they open their season in Houston.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that the future Hall of Famer will begin the season on the injured list, according to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Verlander is behind in his build-up after a shoulder issue delayed the start of his spring.

While the reliever has thrown some bullpen sessions since spring training began, Aaron Boone revealed Monday that Kahnle is building up slowly after shoulder inflammation ended his 2023 season a few weeks early. The righty is not currently injured, but he hasn’t thrown to live hitters yet.

Kahnle may not be ready for exhibition action until later this month, which means there’s a chance the set-up man won’t be on the active roster when the Yankees start their season in Houston on March 28.

“I think he’ll be ready [for Opening Day],” Boone said, per NJ.com’s Max Goodman, “but it’s a matter of do we want him to have more games under his belt. That’s what we have to decide.”

Kahnle, who returned to the Yankees via free agency two offseasons ago, also missed the start of last season. Bicep tendinitis and the shoulder inflammation limited him to 42 games, though he recorded a 2.66 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 40.2 innings.

The Yankees were already expected to have an opening in their bullpen with Scott Effross starting the year on the injured list due to back and Tommy John surgeries. So far, Nick Burdi has emerged as a popular choice to fill that spot, as the non-roster invitee has impressed with a 100-mph fastball, sweeper and changeup from a deceptive arm angle.

Kahnle’s delayed timeline may open a second spot in the pen. That could be good news for some relievers at the back of the Yankees’ 40-man roster, or some other non-roster invitees.

The Yankees have repeatedly talked up the latter group, which also includes Dennis Santana, Duane Underwood Jr., Yerry De Los Santos and Anthony Misiewicz, among others.

“I do feel like, without question, this is our best group of non-roster pitchers we’ve had in a camp,” Boone recently said, echoing sentiments that pitching coach Matt Blake has also shared.

While Santana has not received as much public attention as Burdi, Boone has singled out the righty when discussing under-the-radar players in camp. The former Met has 143 games of MLB experience.

As for pitchers on the 40-man roster, Ron Marinaccio, Cody Morris, Cody Poteet, Clayton Andrews and Nick Ramirez are among those who could benefit from an extra relief opening. Boone specifically mentioned Andrews, De Los Santos and Santana while discussing some bullpen options during ESPN’s broadcast of Tuesday’s spring game against the Mets. Those three were on Tuesday’s travel roster, so don’t think of that as the full list of candidates.

As of now, Clay Holmes, Ian Hamilton, Jonathan Loáisiga, Victor González, Caleb Ferguson and Luke Weaver are expected to be in the Yankees’ bullpen.

“There was a time at the end of the season that I felt really good about where I was at, and I wanted to try to give it one more go,” Donaldson told The Mayor’s Office. “But being home with the family, getting married; today’s a sad but also happy day for me where I am going to announce my retirement from the game.”

Donaldson said that he had opportunities to keep playing, but the third baseman is done after 13 major league seasons with the Athletics, Blue Jays, Cleveland, Braves, Twins, Yankees and Brewers. That career included three All-Star nods, two Silver Sluggers and the 2015 American League MVP Award.

While Donaldson enjoyed a decorated career, Yankees fans will remember him as a major mistake.

He, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt were acquired from the Twins in exchange for Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela in March 2022. What followed were two injury-riddled, unproductive seasons from Donaldson.

Although he could still pick it at the hot corner when healthy, the 38-year-old hit .207/.293/.385 with 25 homers, 77 RBI and a 91 OPS+ over 165 games and 666 plate appearances for the Yankees.

“The last two years were tough for me for the fact that I didn’t go out there and play well, like up to my standard,” said Donaldson, who added that he was surprised when the Yankees traded for him. “It wasn’t for a lack of not trying. I was in there working.

“I just wished I could have played better while my time was there. I felt like I was capable of doing it. I just didn’t go do it.”

Donaldson will go down as one of the worst acquisitions of Brian Cashman’s career. On top of the poor production, he made a $21.75 million salary in each of his two seasons with the Yankees and caused a clubhouse distraction in 2022 when he called ex-White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who is Black, “Jackie.”

Anderson’s peers described the comment, a reference to Jackie Robinson, as racist, and members of the Yankees, including Aaron Judge, said Donaldson was in the wrong. Donaldson received a one-game suspension and a fine from Major League Baseball. Donaldson appealed the ban and lost, though his fine was reduced.

While that incident resulted in some in-house criticism, Donaldson said that his teammates in New York were “awesome.” He finished the 2023 season with the Brewers after the Yankees released him in late August following a high-grade calf strain.

Donaldson ended his career with a .261/.358/.489 slash line, 1,310 hits, 279 home runs and 816 RBI.

On Sunday, the team optioned Luis Gil and Yoendrys Gómez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and reassigned Chase Hampton, Art Warren, Josh Breaux, Ben Rice and Joey Gerber to minor league camp. The team also outrighted Jordan Groshans off the major league roster and onto the Triple-A squad.

Still, the Yankees have way more than 26 players in camp with only a few roster spots up for grabs, as the team has mostly stayed healthy so far.

Time will tell if that can continue after injuries ravaged the club last year. For now, let’s take a second try at predicting the Opening Day roster.

5 Starting Pitchers: Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, Nestor Cortes, Clarke Schmidt

There are no surprises here, as all of the Yankees’ starters have avoided injury thus far. That’s especially notable for Rodón, who came into camp in great shape, and Cortes, who believes his shoulder woes are behind him.

Even though some would love to see the Yankees make a run at Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, such deals remain unlikely with the projected rotation in good health. Even then, the Yankees have spoken highly of their depth starters, including pitching prospect Will Warren and free agent flyer Cody Poteet.

8 Relievers: Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loáisiga, Ian Hamilton, Tommy Kahnle, Caleb Ferguson, Victor González, Luke Weaver, Nick Burdi

Our first roster prediction had Ron Marinaccio filling the void left by Scott Effross, who will start the season on the injured list. That was before a group of non-roster relievers opened some eyes and popped some mitts in camp.

No one has done that more than Nick Burdi, an oft-injured righty who pairs a 100-mph fastball with a sweeper and a changeup from a low arm slot. That deadly combo has certainly impressed the Yankees this spring.

Another bullpen spot could open up if Kahnle doesn’t start the season on time. On Monday, Aaron Boone told reporters that the reliever is a bit behind schedule. Kahnle has been throwing bullpens but is building up slowly after shoulder trouble plagued him at the end of last season. That could benefit Marinaccio or Dennis Santana, another NRI.

Elsewhere in the bullpen, Weaver and Hamilton – last year’s NRI surprise – look like candidates for Michael King’s old multi-inning role. Loáisiga and Ferguson could also provide length.

2 Catchers: Jose Trevino, Austin Wells

Trevino and Wells entered camp as the Yankees’ expected catchers. That remains the case.

Trevino has yet to play in a game, however, due to a calf strain. While the Yankees expect him to be ready for Opening Day, that’s something to keep an eye on. Either way, Wells probably won’t start that first game in Houston with Cole on the mound. If Trevino has to open the season on the IL, Ben Rortvedt would likely get that start after catching the closing stretch of Cole’s Cy Young campaign last year.

If Trevino does progress as expected, Rortvedt could become the odd man out. He’s out of minor league options.

5 Infielders: Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Volpe, Jorbit Vivas

The first four names on this list are a given. The last is far from it.

Truth be told, Vivas is, at best, a dark horse to make the roster. The second baseman could use more seasoning at Triple-A and has limited experience at shortstop and third. However, there have been several indicators that the Yankees would like an upgrade over Oswald Peraza on their bench.

While he is their best infield defender, Peraza hasn’t shown he can hit in the majors. He could benefit from everyday playing time at Triple-A. Vivas, meanwhile, has intrigued Boone with his bat. He’s a more exciting bench option than NRIs Kevin Smith, Jeter Downs and Josh VanMeter.

That said, there’s still time for the Yankees to add an experienced, versatile infielder for that bench spot, though free agent options are limited at this point. Ex-Yankee Donovan Solano is one possibility.

5 Outfielders: Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham

Pending good health, the Yankees’ outfield should produce some serious offense. Soto is off to a sensational start this spring, settling in nicely to his new life batting in front of Judge. Stanton, meanwhile, is hoping that a revamped body and some swing adjustments will help him bounce back from a dreadful 2023 while avoiding the IL. He’s also expected to play some outfield, but he will spend most of his time at designated hitter.

Verdugo seems to be fitting in nicely thus far, and he can be a leadoff option for Boone when LeMahieu needs a break. Grisham, meanwhile, brings elite defense and some pop to the bench.

The Yankees may have to make some tough decisions in their outfield when Jasson Domínguez returns this summer, but this group looks set for now.

1 Utilityman: Oswaldo Cabrera

Like Peraza, Cabrera’s spot on the bench is far from guaranteed. However, Cabrera’s versatility is not limited to the infield, which means he’s still the frontrunner for the super-utility job vacated by Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Cabrera needs to start swinging the bat better, though, as he entered Monday with an .083 average over five games.

The new Yankees superstar slugged his third home run of spring training Sunday afternoon, crushing a first-inning no-doubter over the right field wall at Tampa’s George M. Steinbrenner Field.

The 405-foot solo shot against Detroit Tigers starter Matt Manning marked Soto’s fifth extra-base hit in his first seven at-bats of spring training, further fueling the hype around the Yankees’ marquee offseason acquisition.

Soto, 25, flirted with another homer in the fourth inning, sending a 311-foot fly ball to the left field warning track, where Detroit’s Justyn-Henry Malloy made a leaping catch at the wall. Soto added a sixth-inning single before being lifted for pinch-runner Greg Allen in the Yankees’ eventual 7-2 loss.

With Sunday’s 2-for-3 performance, Soto is batting .667 (6-for-9) with two doubles, seven RBI and those three home runs through four games. Sunday’s homer was the first this spring to right field for the lefty-swinging Soto, who previously demonstrated his power to all fields with blasts to left-center and straightaway center.

There goes that man. @JuanSoto25_ pic.twitter.com/19PuEsQrdn

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 3, 2024

Soto continues to bat second in the Yankees lineup, directly in front of the righty-hitting Aaron Judge, who primarily occupied the No. 2 spot from 2017-23. Soto, whose career on-base percentage of .421 ranks 19th in MLB history, can serve as a table-setter or benefit from the protection of the powerful Judge, whose 62 home runs in 2022 remain a single-season American League record.

The Yankees sent four pitchers, including Michael King and prized prospect Drew Thorpe, and catcher Kyle Higashioka to the San Diego Padres in the December deal that brought back Soto, hoping the former batting champion and three-time Silver Slugger recipient can transform an offense that finished 25th in runs last season.

Soto, an impending free agent due for a mega-contract next winter, is already demonstrating his ability as a difference-maker.

Also delivering an encouraging performance was Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes, who improved on last week’s uneven spring debut with four innings of one-run ball Sunday. A first-inning solo homer by Detroit’s Andy Ibanez represented the lone hit against Cortes, who at one point retired nine Tigers in a row.

Cortes, 29, struck out three and walked one, throwing 36 of his 54 pitches for strikes while repeatedly hitting 93 miles per hour with his fastball.

“Other than that home run, everything was cruising,” Cortes said afterward on the YES Network broadcast. “I felt like I was throwing a lot of strikes and I was commanding a lot of pitches.”

The Yankees’ bullpen was far less effective, with newcomer Caleb Ferguson allowing two runs in 0.1 innings and Ron Marinaccio surrendering four runs without recording an out.

The crafty Cortes, a 2022 All-Star, hopes to return to form after a disappointing 2023 campaign in which he pitched to a 4.97 ERA and made only one start after May 30 due to a rotator cuff strain. Last week, the left-handed Cortes gave up two runs on seven hits over 2.2 innings against the Minnesota Twins.

A healthy Cortes would help fortify a Yankees rotation that’s led by reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole and that added two-time All-Star Marcus Stroman in the offseason. Stroman, a Long Island native, hurled four scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota, Fla., on Saturday.

Lefty starter Carlos Rodón, who struggled to a 6.85 ERA during an injury-plagued 2023, is also seeking a resurgence.

Up next for the Yankees is a road trip to Jupiter, Fla., where Clarke Schmidt is scheduled to pitch Monday night against the Miami Marlins.

Verdugo was originally set to bat sixth and play left field in Sunday’s spring training game against the Detroit Tigers, but the Yankees released an updated lineup about three hours before first pitch at Tampa’s George M. Steinbrenner Field.

The move was “precautionary,” YES Network reported during Sunday’s game broadcast.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cole Irvin plunked Verdugo during the first inning of Saturday’s exhibition in Sarasota, Fla., but Verdugo remained in the game. Verdugo went 0-for-2 before being lifted with the other regulars before the bottom of the sixth inning.

Brandon Lockridge, a 2018 fifth-round pick by the Yankees, replaced Verdugo in Sunday’s lineup as the left fielder while batting seventh, with catcher Austin Wells sliding up one spot in the order.

Acquired in December in a rare trade with the rival Boston Red Sox, the 27-year-old Verdugo is poised to begin the season as the primary left fielder in a rebuilt Yankees outfield that also added Juan Soto over the offseason. Soto is expected to primarily play right field, with Aaron Judge sliding over to center field, as was the case in Sunday’s lineup.

A career .281 hitter, the lefty-swinging Verdugo brings contact hitting and balance to a Yankees offense that was overwhelmingly right-handed in 2023 and finished with a .227 batting average that ranked 29th among the 30 MLB teams.

“I can kind of be wherever in the lineup,” Verdugo said during an introductory Zoom call in December. “I could be at the top of the lineup to work at-bats, see pitches, get on base. I could be in the middle of the lineup for when some of the guys are on base. I can shoot a hole. I can hit a gapper. Every once in a while I run into one where it will leave the park, but I just feel like my bat-to-ball skill is a really good thing.”

Verdugo, like Soto, is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season. Verdugo has one hit in eight at-bats over four games this spring.

The Yankees also navigated injuries this spring to infielder Oswald Peraza, who hasn’t played since being scratched with right shoulder tightness on Feb. 27, and catcher Jose Trevino, who is yet to appear in a game as he deals with a left calf strain.

Center fielder Jasson Dominguez (elbow surgery), reliever Lou Trivino (elbow surgery) and reliever Scott Effross (elbow and back surgeries) are each expected to return during the season.

ROSTER MOVES

The Yankees optioned right-handed pitchers Luis Gil and Yoendrys Gómez to Triple-A and re-assigned fellow righties Chase Hampton and Art Warren to minor-league camp Sunday in a flurry of roster moves.

Hampton, Gil and Gomez represent young organizational depth for a Yankees team that traded seven pitchers over the offseason to acquire Verdugo and Soto and lost three more in the Rule 5 Draft.

The 22-year-old Hampton is among the Yankees’ top prospects. He, Gil and Gomez each appeared in one game at the big-league camp this spring.

The Yankees also sent catchers Ben Rice and Josh Breaux, along with pitcher Joey Gerber, to minor-league camp and outrighted infielder Jordan Groshans to Triple-A. The Yankees had designated Groshans, a 2018 first-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays, for assignment last week.

Analytics, particularly how the Yankees use and communicate them, were among the captain’s talking points. While Judge praised the numbers at the team’s disposal, he added, “It’s now about funneling those down to the players in the right format,” among other critiques.

The Yankees believe that Aaron Leanhardt can find that right format.

Hal Steinbrenner recently revealed Leanhardt’s promotion to the title of major league coaching staff analyst, a move he found necessary after Judge and Gerrit Cole raised concerns about the presentation of information over the offseason. The owner called Leanhardt “unbelievably versed and intelligent in analytics,” but also talked up his people skills and coaching experience.

“So many questions about significant changes, significant changes — we’re introducing somebody new to the clubhouse,” Steinbrenner said. “That’s a significant change, as far as I’m concerned.”

The Yankees initially hired Leanhardt to be the hitting coach of their Gulf Coast League team in 2018, and he served as the organization’s assistant minor league hitting coordinator the past two seasons. He filled other low-level coaching roles in between, such as work with the Yankees’ Dominican Summer League team.

In his new role, Leanhardt will work with Yankees hitters and pitchers despite having more of an offensive background. He will travel with the team full-time, but he won’t be in the dugout during games.

“I’m excited about him,” Judge told the Daily News after getting to know Leanhardt over a long chat at the Yankees’ minor league complex in January. “He’s gonna be a big piece to our coaching staff and I think he’s gonna do a great job in his role. A lot of the guys have already kind of gelled with him pretty good. I’ve gotten a chance to talk with him quite a bit.

“He’s gonna fit this clubhouse pretty good.”

Leanhardt, who has a PhD in physics from MIT and taught the subject at the University of Michigan, also has experience coaching at Dawson Community College in Glendive, Mont., and in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League.

“He’s a fascinating individual. He makes bats and he’s a physics professor. I mean, he’s got a published thesis. That’s high-level intellect right there,” Cole told The News. “He’s like overqualified to a certain extent. But he’s also been a coach for a really long time and he connects with a lot of organizational guys.”

Added Judge: “The biggest thing that I took away is he wants to help the players. There was no ego into it. He wanted to go out there and just do what he could to put us in the best position to succeed.”

Leanhardt’s predecessor, Zac Fieroh, didn’t always get the same reviews inside the Yankees’ clubhouse.

While several players were complimentary of the last analyst, one person said that Fieroh could have been a better communicator.

“It was less about the information they were getting,” a source, granted anonymity so that they could speak freely, told The News. “It was when they had questions going back up. They felt like they kind of got stonewalled going back up.”

That source also said that there was some arrogance at play.

“I think that was part of it,” they continued. “I think [Zac] was kind of doing his job to protect the [analytics] department a little bit. Like sometimes [players] don’t need to know all the things. For me, he did a good job, but I can understand if the players aren’t happy.”

The source, citing an example, said that Cole would ask questions about quality of contact and flyballs, which he feels are part of his game but are “penalized” by the Yankees’ analytical systems. While Cole never mentioned Fieroh, the righty touched on those notes in November when asked how he can improve after winning his first Cy Young Award.

“He would ask questions back up about that type of stuff and it would kind of get pushed away or it wouldn’t get answered,” the source said, adding that Cole also sought more information on the Yankees’ swing and miss metrics.

When asked about his communications with Fieroh, Cole called him “a fantastic analyst” and said that they still talk often about various things the ace is working on.

Judge offered a similar assessment.

“Zac helped me a lot,” the outfielder said. “He would send me reports before every series on different pitchers and how they attacked me last year. He gave me a lot of good information that I used and I’ll still use this year, even though he’s going to be in a different role. But he was great to me.”

Anthony Rizzo, who is on the more selective side when it comes to what information he uses, gave his own glowing recommendation to The News, stating, “I love Zac.”

One player, who also wished to remain anonymous, said he had “no problem” with Fieroh’s communication and that he thought the analyst “got put in a tough spot” following the Yankees’ shortcoming last year. However, that same player said that “it can become a lot for certain guys” when there are “a lot of cooks trying to help you out.”

While no longer on the major league coaching staff, Fieroh remains employed by the Yankees. He has taken on the title of manager of analytics and implementation, a newly-created position in the front office.

His main responsibility will be to oversee the flow of communication between different baseball operations subgroups, including pro scouting, performance science and baseball systems (the group that works on the Yankees’ analytical algorithms).

Leanhardt, serving as a liaison between players and the front office, will be in touch with Fieroh, who did not bring any high-level coaching experience to the analyst job.

That difference could prove to be a big one.

“He’s been a college coach. He’s been a hitting coach,” Judge said of Leanhardt. “He has a good feel for what actually might work and what might actually translate to the field.”

While Leanhardt is the most notable change the Yankees have made with regards to analytics, he’s not the only one.

During an early-spring press conference, Judge celebrated the Yankees’ decision to bring James Rowson back to the organization as a hitting coach. He noted that Rowson, a former player, “gets the side of the analytics and the swing mechanics, biomechanics of your swing, but he also understands game-planning and being in the box.”

Last year, the Yankees had connectivity issues under hitting coach Dillon Lawson before he was replaced by Sean Casey, an ex-big leaguer.

Judge also said that the Yankees’ additions of Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo indicated a greater emphasis on driving in runs, something he considers a skill.

At the end of last season, Judge said, “We get a lot of numbers, but I think we might be looking at the wrong ones and maybe should value some other ones that some people might see as having no value.” He later told Brian Cashman that the Yankees need to value batting average and RBI more.

Judge has previously reasoned that the Yankees need a “better process” for filtering information to younger players. Generally speaking, the team wants to improve at tailoring data to individuals.

Some, like Cole, love getting in the weeds. Others, like Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu, don’t.

“Deeper analytics, what the people get paid to look at more, are probably a little advanced for me to look at,” said Rizzo, who battled post-concussion symptoms last year. “No pun intended, it kind of gives me a headache.”

“Hopefully we’re better where there isn’t that confusion,” Aaron Boone said when camp opened. “I do think we do things here at a very high level and have tremendous resources and information. But being better at making sure we’re streamlining those in the right ways. Everyone’s different. Some guys can absorb a ton and it’s a game-changer for them in their careers. Some guys, it’s get the heck out of the way and let them do their thing.”

Cole said that the Yankees are “constantly improving” when it comes to analytics, just as they try to do with anything else. The next year may bring about more changes, as the team hired Zelus Analytics over the offseason so that it could compare the outside firm’s models and operations to its own.

In December, assistant general manager Michael Fishman, previously the club’s director of quantitative analysis, said that that process would take months and that related tweaks may not be made until next offseason.

In the meantime, the Yankees are hoping the analytical adjustments they’ve already made will yield immediate results after the team missed the playoffs last year. The topic of analytical communication has come up frequently since Judge’s end-of-season remarks, but injuries and underachieving veterans also hurt the Yankees last year.

“I get it, but we have high standards. You expect excellence,” Cole said when asked if the analytics discussion has been over-scrutinized. “Maybe it’s been talked about more, but I don’t really have a reason why.”

Moving forward, the Yankees would like to keep the analytics talk more under wraps. Leanhardt’s promotion only garnered attention because Steinbrenner volunteered the information, but various front-facing members of the organization have tried to avoid in-depth commentary when asked about other “unseen” changes the club has made to its process.

“It’s more meant for the guys in here,” Judge said. “If all things go well, you guys will see the results, and that’s all that really matters.”

“At the end, it came down to Dodgers or Yankees,” said the utilityman, who recently signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Los Angeles. “Big market only.”

Hernández played for the Dodgers from 2015-2020 before spending a few seasons in Boston. The 32-year-old returned to L.A. midway through the 2023 campaign.

Hernández, who played every infield and outfield position last year, said that familiarity impacted his decision. So did playing time.

“They have a lot of left-handed hitters in the lineup,” the right-handed swinger said. “And I think the main reason is [the Dodgers] were able to guarantee me to start, at least against left-handed pitchers, to start the year.

“The Yankees have a really, really good lineup as well, just like the Dodgers, but they have a lot of right-handed hitters, and their lefties are not platoon guys.”

Aaron Boone told reporters that he was aware of Hernández’s interest in the Yankees on Thursday, but the manager also knew Los Angeles was an option.

“I wasn’t sure,” Boone said, per NJ.com. “I knew the Dodger thing was certainly in play and I think that was dependent on a move happening that opened up a spot, but I do know he was certainly intrigued about coming here.”

The Dodgers traded Manuel Margot to the Twins in order to make space for Hernández.

While the Yankees were not able to lure Hernández away from the Dodgers, the player’s comments are another sign that the Bombers want to upgrade their bench.

Trent Grisham is expected to be the fourth outfielder, while Jose Trevino and Austin Wells will likely be the catchers the team carries. However, Ben Rortvedt is out of minor league options and could factor in as well.

There’s more uncertainty surrounding the backup infield and super utility roles.

Going into camp, the super utility job looked like Oswaldo Cabrera’s to lose, as he can play just about everywhere. Meanwhile, Oswald Peraza, a natural shortstop who can also flash the leather at second and third, looked like the frontrunner for the backup infield job.

However, neither player has proven that they can hit at the major league level, and both have minor league options that would allow them to further their development with everyday playing time at Triple-A.

Recently, Boone was asked if Peraza is the primary backup at his positions.

“You can throw a lot of guys in that bucket,” the manager said before mentioning Cabrera and versatile non-roster invitees Jeter Downs, Josh VanMeter and Kevin Smith.

Downs has hardly hit at Triple-A, let alone in the majors, while VanMeter didn’t play in the big leagues last season. Smith has a 47 OPS+ over 114 MLB games.

None are exciting alternatives to Peraza or Cabrera, which is why the Yankees have been linked to established players like Hernández, the Reds’ Tony Kemp, and former pinstriper Gio Urshela, a Boone favorite who recently signed with the Tigers.

“A guy that’s very, very comfortable in a lot of situations,” the manager recently said of Urshela, who the Yankees dumped in the Josh Donaldson trade. “And a really good teammate, a guy that brings a joy to the game.

“You felt good being around Gio every day, and that’s a valuable thing in the grind of a major league season, to have people that are energy-givers, that breathe some life into the clubhouse. You want that, and he’s certainly one of those guys while also just being obviously really good with the glove. Obviously played really well for us and got a lot of big hits for us. But just a great person.”

There are still a few flexible free agents left, including Donovan Solano, Jean Segura, Elvis Andrus and Adalberto MondesÍ. None of those players have recent outfield experience, but that’s not necessarily required with Grisham and other depth options around.

Solano, another former Yankee, has hit at least .280 in each of the last three seasons.

Of course, the Yankees could always stick with their internal options.

There is a case to be made for rostering Cabrera and Peraza, who has been dealing with tightness in his throwing shoulder, if only for their defense. The club also added Jahmai Jones to the 40-man roster on Wednesday, though the former top prospect hasn’t had much success since debuting in 2020.

Jorbit Vivas could also push his way into the conversation if he continues to hit. Some more experience at Triple-A would benefit the second baseman, and he hasn’t played shortstop much. However, Boone planned to try the 22-year-old at third after he hit two home runs in his first four at-bats of the spring.

“He’s interesting,” the skipper said. “Excited to see more of it.”

Cole, who pitched for the Bruins from 2009-2011 before becoming the No. 1 draft pick, specifically recalled a time he returned to his alma mater to check out renovations to the athletic department. He dropped by the baseball team, caught a basketball game and spoke with a young Poteet, who pitched at UCLA from 2013-2015.

“Reserved, good kid, good head on his shoulders,” Cole, a UCLA Hall of Famer, said when the Daily News asked for his first impressions of Poteet. “He’s a smart kid. He was pitching on the weekend and getting good grades, so he’s got his stuff together.”

These days, Cole and Poteet have a second team in common.

The two have reunited inside the Yankees’ clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field. While Cole, fresh off his first Cy Young Award, is entering his 12th season in the majors, Poteet is trying to get his young career back on track.

He hopes to pick Cole’s brain in the process.

“I feel like I know him a little bit just from watching his career,” Poteet told The News. “Obviously, a tremendous pitcher. I love watching him. It’s been cool to get to know him more on a personal level so far in camp.

“I’m excited to learn from a guy like that.”

A fourth-round draft pick in 2015, Poteet recorded a 4.45 ERA over 19 games for the Marlins from 2021-2022. However, various injuries and the pandemic-cancelled 2020 minor league season have limited him to just 75.1 professional innings since the end of the 2019 campaign.

Poteet, 29, underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2022. The righty spent most of 2023 sidelined by the procedure while rehabbing in the Royals’ system, though he returned for one Triple-A game before signing a split contract with the Yankees this past offseason.

“It was huge for me,” Poteet said of that singular start. “Just to be able to get back on a field in a competitive environment is huge for the physical and mental aspects.”

Poteet added that he’s thankful for a “very smooth rehab.” He leaned on his faith and a “lot of good people” to get through the process.

That group included Eric Cressey, the Yankees’ director of player health and performance.

“It’s definitely nice to have a familiar face walking in here,” said Poteet, who first met Cressey while pitching in the Cape Cod League in 2014. “I know Eric really well. He brings all his great baseball knowledge into this place and just makes this place immediately better.”

Poteet began working out at Cressey’s Jupiter, Florida training facility in 2020, and he did the majority of his Tommy John-related physical therapy there. That gave the Yankees some insight on the pitcher as they pursued him over the winter.

“We had homework on him and Eric knew him really well,” pitching coach Matt Blake said toward the end of the offseason. “We just had some exposure that way. Knowing his story, it helped us see where the upside is with him. He had been hurt the last couple of years. Maybe not a lot of opportunities, got back at the end of last year. Now he’s ready to hopefully take off again with good health.”

Poteet, who spent the offseason teaching pitching lessons out of his backyard in Houston, is on track to start the 2024 season on time.

Earlier this week, he made his spring debut, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief against the Twins. Leaning primarily on a four-seamer, sinker and changeup — he also sprinkled in a few sliders and curves — Poteet struck out three and walked one while not allowing a hit over 35 pitches.

The performance left Aaron Boone impressed.

“He’s definitely somebody that we valued and targeted this winter,” the manager said. “He can pitch.

“I thought he was really effective and efficient today. So we’ll see. We’re excited to have him, and I do feel like he can help us.”

Poteet has three minor league options remaining, giving the Yankees the flexibility to use him as needed.

Boone noted that Poteet has the ability to start, something he did nine times for the Marlins and throughout his minor league career. He could establish himself as one of the Yankees’ depth options should the projected rotation succumb to injury, but he also pitched well as a reliever over a handful of games for Miami in 2022.

After a few seasons interrupted by injury, Poteet will take whatever role he can get.

“I enjoy both,” he said of starting and relieving. “It would be hard for me to pick a preference.

“What I would love to do is just help this team win.”