Yankees GM Cashman speaks during meetings with Soto, Alonso and Agent Boras

SAN ANTONIO – Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has begun discussions with agent Scott Boras about keeping Juan Soto with New York, and they also discussed hard-hitting first baseman Pete Alonso.

Cashman said he spoke with Boras in general manager meetings on Monday and revealed that he had a conversation with Soto after the season, which ended with the Yankees losing the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games .

“I had the opportunity to thank him for everything and told him we would be in touch,” Cashman said Tuesday. “And of course since then I've talked to Scott so he can get a feel for the dance moves that Juan Soto wants, and he'll keep us updated.”

Soto is a free agent at age 26 and is expected to have a contract worth $500 million or more. New York acquired him from San Diego in December, and Soto batted .288 with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs and 129 walks, teaming with Aaron Judge for a powerful 1-2 punch at Nos. 2 and 3 in the batting order. Soto's three-run, 10th-inning home run in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series in Cleveland gave the Yankees their first pennant since 2009.

After the World Series loss, Soto said, “I'll be available for all 30 teams” and “I don't want to say anyone has an advantage.”

Cashman said New York is willing to meet with Soto as often as the player wants.

“We definitely have an interest in keeping him and we will do our best there,” Cashman said. “That will either result in us keeping him and signing him back, or we will be forced to go in a different direction if we can’t do that. And if we can't do that, there are a lot of different players in this market that definitely can impact this roster in different ways.

“Obviously that pressure point isn’t ours today, but it’s there in the market every winter, so those are the tough decisions you have to make.”

The top free agents include Alonso and third baseman Alex Bregman, also represented by Boras.

In addition to the Yankees, the Mets under billionaire Steve Cohen and the Dodgers are also among the teams that could afford Soto. Cashman wouldn't say how much of a rival the Mets are for Soto's signing.

“They want to win. With us you are active in a large market. “They’ve had a taste of success this year and want to move the needle even further,” Cashman said. “It’s the nature of the beast and big market owners with deep pockets aren’t the only ones signing players to big deals. I mean, you've seen the San Diego Padres sitting on the West Coast. They imported a lot of big players with big contracts.”