CLEVELAND — In the hours before his Yankees began the 2009 World Series against the Phillies, general manager Brian Cashman, the task in front of him done, started working ahead.

Cashman reached out to Tigers president Dave Dombrowski and asked about the availability of outfielder Curtis Granderson. A month and change later, at the Winter Meetings, Cashman, Dombrowski and then-Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes completed a three-way deal that made Granderson a Yankee.

Maybe down the road, we’ll learn of similar inter-team communication being held this past week by Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein or his Indians equivalent, Chris Antonetti. What we know already is that making the World Series doesn’t inoculate you from getting right to work upon the season’s completion.

Let’s rank the pennant-winners’ offseason priorities in order of importance:

1. The Cubs have to decide on a closer

Aroldis Chapman, whom the Cubs acquired from the Yankees in July, will be a free agent and will command a huge price, with the Yankees expected to be serious bidders to bring back the hard-throwing southpaw. The Dodgers, with their own closer, Kenley Jansen, entering the market, have to make the same call. Will the Cubs, their coffers overflowing with postseason ticket sales, go for it and pay a sky-high price for one of the two elite closers? The bet here is they do.

2. The Cubs must figure out center field

Dexter Fowler, his market restricted by the qualifying offer last winter, returned to the team in spring training on a one-year deal and put together a terrific season. He should get better offers this time even with the qualifying offer again very likely. Do the Cubs invest longer-term in the 30-year-old Fowler, find a different outsider or let youngster Albert Almora (their top draft pick of 2012) take over the job? The bet here is they pick up a veteran reserve to complement Almora and wish Fowler well elsewhere.

3. The Indians face Mike Napoli’s free agency

He’s a one-man Octoberfest, having qualified for the postseason in eight of his 10 big league seasons with four different teams. At one year and $7 million, he became one of the best free-agent signings of last winter. So with a terrific 2016, has he earned a multi-year deal at age 35? Probably. From the Indians? Eh. They possess a small margin for error with their payroll, and he reached a career high this year with 150 games played. It seems overly optimistic to think he can repeat that. And the Indians could slide designated-hitter Carlos Santana over to first base and find another DH.

4. The Indians have some outfield questions

5. The Cubs’ Jake Arrieta is entering his walk year

Veterans Coco Crisp and Rajai Davis are headed to free agency, leaving Tyler Naquin, Lonnie Chisenhall, Abraham Almonte … and All-Star Michael Brantley, who played in only 11 games because of a serious right shoulder injury. The Indians say Brantley will return at full health next season, which would be a huge development. Surely, though, the Indians will make some contingency plans in case Brantley can’t stay healthy and produce at his pre-2016 level.

He’s a Scott Boras client, so he most likely will enter the open market after 2017. However, Boras client Stephen Strasburg forfeited free agency this winter when he signed an extension with the Nationals, so the Cubs should at least decide whether they’d want to engage with the 30-year-old about such a possibility. Strasburg received seven years and $175 million at age 27. Arrieta is both more accomplished and older than his fellow right-hander.