SAN DIEGO — In the hours before the world knew Gerrit Cole was heading to the Bronx, an executive for an AL East team essentially surrendered the division. The Yankees, he assessed, were winning it with or without the addition of the ace.

Of course, 162 games full of twists, turns and injured-list stints await. But the assessment spoke to the projected strength of the Yankees roster, which only was upgraded with Cole.

What didn’t kill them made them AL East champs in 2019 and stronger for 2020. They won 103 games essentially without Miguel Andujar, Luis Severino and Giancarlo Stanton. In their place, Gio Urshela, Domingo German and Mike Tauchman blossomed. The Yanks should have all of those players in 2020 (albeit with a suspension looming for German). And, oh yeah, they also have Cole, whom Oakland manager Bob Melvin described as “the best in the game.”

Hal Steinbrenner authorized the signing despite being uncomfortable that in conjunction with the eventual reunion with Brett Gardner, the Yankees — at least for now — would be projected about $10 million over the highest luxury-tax threshold of $248 million. Steinbrenner approved Cole because he favors investing in high-end starters more than just about anything else and because Cole checked every criterion of a player and person in a way that, for example, Manny Machado had not the year before.

Thus, the winter meetings ended with a pretty strong idea what the Yankee 2020 roster is. They decided to reinvest in Aroldis Chapman and Gardner while allowing Didi Gregorius (Phillies) and Austin Romine (Tigers) to leave. They are not even having active dialogue with Dellin Betances’ camp, suggesting the big reliever also will soon enlist elsewhere.

So where does this leave the team going forward?

1. With by far the largest payroll for 2020. The only teams with larger 2019 payrolls than the Yankees — the Red Sox and Cubs — are trying to cut. The Yanks currently project to about $258 million for luxury-tax purposes, $24 million over last year.

Steinbrenner approved the expansion to improve the chances to win a first title since 2009. But also because 1) Jacoby Ellsbury’s albatross contract will be done plus James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, DJ LeMahieu and potentially J.A. Happ can be free agents after next year, creating potential 2021 payroll flexibility, and 2) the expectation is thresholds will rise significantly with a new CBA after the 2021 season, thus the Yanks could more easily reset then.

The Yanks could try to lower the current payroll by trading Happ and as much of the $17 million he is owed in 2020 as possible — and they have talked to a bunch of teams, including the Blue Jays. Assistant GM Mike Fishman said Jordan Montgomery (another mostly nonexistent 2019 Yankee) “is a proven big-league starter” who could join Cole, Paxton, Severino and Tanaka in the rotation — with German available at some point.

The Yanks also could see whether Tanaka would do an extension. He counts $22.14 million toward the payroll. A, say, four-year, $60 million new deal would make him count $15 million.

2. They can value-shop. The Yanks know to get Cole and Gardner on the roster, two players must be removed from the 40-man and they may want to trade rather than just risk losing talent through waivers.

They have looked into Milwaukee closer Josh Hader, as first reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, but there did not seem to be substantial traction there as the meetings ended. They would love to find upper-level catching and shortstop protection.

Gregorius’ exit leaves Gleyber Torres the shortstop and the team believes he can handle the bulk of the work there. “He should be a capable major league shortstop,” Fishman said, noting that his offensive possibilities at the position enhance attractiveness. But the Yanks would like better insurance than Thairo Estrada and Tyler Wade. Romine’s departure leaves Kyle Higashioka the only catcher on the 40-man besides starter Gary Sanchez.

Ultimately, the depth provided by players such as Andujar, Tauchman, Clint Frazier and a group of interesting power arms nearing major league consideration give the Yanks not just protection but potential trade pieces now and during the season.