<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Tuesday, July 31</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>
Eric Gagne
Rangers
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Brewers
Mets
Red Sox
Yankees
</TD><TD>Red Sox, Brewers, Mets are the favorites
Jul 31 - With just a few hours left before the trade deadline, it appears the Texas Rangers will trade closer Eric Gagne to either the Red Sox, Brewers or the Mets, baseball sources told ESPN's Buster Olney.
But the Brewers and Mets are skeptical that they're the front-runners, which means the Red Sox might end up landing the former Cy Young winner.
The Rangers are looking at prospects who can play center field, and Olney reports the Brewers are dangling Tony Gwynn Jr.
The Yankees are also having conversations with the Rangers about Gagne, but the Rangers may make a deal with either their division rival in Boston, or with their cross-town rival in Queens. The Red Sox need Gagne, at a time when set-up man Mike Timlin is hurt. Milwaukee's bullpen has been struggling of late -- closer Francisco Cordero and set-up men Derrick Turnbow and Scott Linebrink combined for a 15.00 ERA last week, with an 0-4 record.
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