San Diego — The July 31 trade deadline nears and The Question looms: Will the Braves trade Mark Teixeira?

"I would say right now we're more concerned with trying to get the team healthy and playing the way they're capable," said general manager Frank Wren, who declined to say if the Braves have discussed a new contract with Teixeira or agent Scott Boras.

The switch-hitting slugger is eligible for free agency after the season, and Boras will probably seek a long-term contract — seven or more years — worth more than $20 million annually. Teixeira might get significantly larger offers from one or more big-market teams than from the Braves.

"Same stance we've always taken on negotiations — we won't comment," Wren said.

The fourth-place Braves entered their weekend series at San Diego trailing NL East leader Philadelphia by 6 1/2 games, with the Mets and Marlins also standing between them and Phillies.

"I think we're like every other club that is just below the line of being in first place or being in the wild card," Wren said. "We've got to play well to determine our fate.

"If we play well, we'll try to improve the club [before the trade deadline] if there's a way to do that."

And if they don't?

"If we don't play well," Wren said, "we're going to be faced with making some decisions. We've got to play consistently well from here on out."

The reason the Braves aren't ready to trade away players is because they expect an infusion from within their own pitching staff after the All-Star break.

The Braves plan to have starter Mike Hampton and closer Rafael Soriano back from the disabled list shortly after play resumes.

Tom Glavine could be back within a month if he has no setbacks in his recovery from a flexor tendon injury in his pitching elbow.

"For the first time since spring training, we'll be reasonably healthy once we get Tom Glavine back," Wren said said. "We're not going to get [John] Smoltz back and [Peter] Moylan back, and those are two big losses.

"But if we get Hampton, Glavine and Soriano back, that's probably as close as we're going to get this year to the team we envisioned coming out of spring training."

Not counting the three division leaders, there are seven other NL teams with better records than the Braves, making the wild card an unrealistic goal unless there are radical changes.

That clarifies the Braves' mission: They've got to cut into the lead in the East, since a postseason berth will probably require them to pass three teams and win the division.

Wren said teams around baseball know where the Braves stand, and the GM has been in frequent contact with his peers.

"I think teams realize where we are," he said. "We're not out, we're not in. ... I've talked to just about every team, with the exception of one or two, in the last four or five days, and lots of teams are in the same position we're in.

"They just have to continue to watch their clubs and see if they progress, and if we progress. I think everybody has a sense of what they're looking to do if they can get their club a little closer."

If the Braves fall behind any further, they might entertain offers for Teixeira and left-handed reliever Will Ohman, who's having a strong season and will also be eligible for free agency.

The going rate for lefties of Ohman's caliber is more than $3 million annually, and the Braves haven't been willing in the past to spend that kind of money for setup men.

But the Braves would seem unlikely to trade key performers if they believe they are legitimately in the playoff race. Instead, they might try to strengthen the team with another right-handed hitter.

Escobar scratched

Shortstop Yunel Escobar was scratched from the lineup Friday with recurring soreness in his strained left shoulder. He had a cortisone injection June 30 and started seven consecutive games since July 2. Rookie Brent Lillibridge replaced him Friday, and second baseman Kelly Johnson moved from seventh to second in the order.

Hampton, Soriano updates

Mike Hampton allowed two runs and six hits in five innings of a rehab start at Class AA Mississippi on Thursday, with no walks and four strikeouts. He's scheduled to make one more minor-league start Wednesday for Mississippi, then rejoin the Braves after the break. Manager Bobby Cox didn't know who would be dropped from the rotation to make room. "We'll cross that when we get there," he said.

Soriano, who's missed most of the season with elbow problems, is scheduled to pitch for the Braves' Dominican Summer League team today and Tuesday and rejoin the major league team after the break.