If the Yankees want Athletics center fielder Mark Kotsay, they're going to face stiff competition. The Cubs and Red Sox also have expressed recent interest in trading for Kotsay, and the Cubs in particular should be deep enough in prospects to satisfy the A's.

The chances of Kotsay getting traded will increase if he fails to sign a contract extension with the A's before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. His agent, Greg Genske, has had recent talks with A's officials, but told Sporting News on Tuesday that an extension "doesn't look likely."

"They came to us to begin discussions," Genske said. "Certainly we'd be willing to listen if they wanted to talk more in the future."

Kotsay, 29, can exercise a player option for $7.05 million after this season or become a free agent. His contract gives him the right to block trades to eight teams, but his no-trade list does not include the Yankees, Cubs and Red Sox. He can be traded to those teams without his permission.

Of those clubs, the Red Sox's interest is believed to be the least serious, falling into the category of, "If the Yankees want him, we'll at least declare interest." The Sox could acquire Kotsay as a pre-emptive strike against the possible loss of Johnny Damon as a free agent, but they're cautiously optimistic about re-signing Damon. They also would have no place for Kotsay in their outfield unless they made another trade.

The Cubs, too, have a center fielder in place -- lefthanded-hitting Corey Patterson, 25 -- but Kotsay is a superior defender. It would make little sense for the Cubs to acquire Kotsay if they're not going to play him in center, but another possibility would be to move Kotsay to right, where he has made 320 career starts -- though none since 2000 -- and shift right fielder Jeromy Burnitz to left. Burnitz has made 80 career starts in left, including 17 with the Rockies last season.

One of the prospects that the Yankees reportedly would offer the A's, Class A righthander Philip Hughes, currently is sidelined with shoulder inflammation, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. The Cubs almost certainly could top a Yankees package of Hughes and Class AA third baseman Eric Duncan. Their farm system, deep in pitching, is considered one of the best in the game.