Mark Kotsay has made enough of an impression this season that his manager and Braves teammates have been saying lately they’d love to have him back next year.

Kotsay is a free agent after the season.

It was understood before the season started that he would be a one-year bridge to Jordan Schafer in center field for the Braves. But that was before Schafer was suspended 50 games for the use of HGH and lost momentum in his minor-league progress.

That would leave the door open at least to the possibility of a Kotsay return.

His manager wouldn’t mind seeing it, though he didn’t want to speculate on its likelihood just yet.

“He’s a great leader, that kid,” manager Bobby Cox said. “He’s a gamer, professional, does everything fundamentally sound, and he’s hitting .300.”

Heading into Monday’s game, Kotsay was hitting .302 in 82 games.

“It’s an option definitely,” Kotsay said. “I love it here. I love playing for Bobby. It’s a matter of what direction they’re going to go.”

One possibility circulating Braves players and fans has been to have Kotsay back in a part-time capacity, maybe as a fourth outfielder and backup first baseman. Kotsay, 32, said Monday though, at this point in his career, he still wants to play every day.

“I don’t see coming back here as an option if I’m not an everyday guy,” Kotsay said. “My family situation and time spent away from me is very important. To be away from them and not to be playing every day — to be a four-hour flight away — would be a real challenge from a mental aspect.

“I’m not going to say that I would close my options off. If it was my only option, I’d have to think really hard about it.”

Kotsay makes his permanent home in San Diego.

The big question coming into the season was how Kotsay’s back would hold up, given his problems of the last several years. He missed 33 games on the disabled list with a lower back strain, but since his return July 1, he was hitting .313 (41-for-131) heading into Monday.

He went 5-for-5 on Thursday night and became the fifth player in Braves franchise history since 1900 to hit for the cycle.

“I’m just keeping an open mind,” Kotsay said. “I’ve never been a free agent. I’ve never experienced what it feels like to go into an offseason like this. I really have no feelings in any direction other than to finish the season healthy and see where that takes me.”

Glavine watch

Tom Glavine is scheduled to have his left elbow examined on Wednesday by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham. Glavine hopes that his problems are confined to his flexor tendon, but will find out for sure with a dye-injected MRI exam.

Glavine said this week that surgery to repair his flexor tendon would require three to four months’ recovery time. If that’s what he needs, he might attempt to come back and pitch next season.

If the he finds out there’s damage to his ligament that would require “Tommy John” ligament-transplant surgery, Glavine has said he will not have it and he will retire.

Dr. Andrews has cleared a spot on his schedule for Thursday morning in Birmingham if Glavine needs surgery. Glavine wants to have it as soon as possible because if he has it now, he could get through his rehabilitation and begin his throwing program on time to begin pitching in spring training.

Glavine has had multiple surgeries on his lower body, but this would be the first on his arm. Glavine had both knees and his ankle scoped after the 1996 season. He said he had his knee and ankle scoped in the late 1980s.