Sonny Gray to the Yankees feels inevitable.

But as the countdown to Monday's 4 p.m. EST MLB trade deadline ticks away, all eyes will be on other interested parties. While the Los Angeles Dodgers are likely the biggest competition the Yankees will have for the Athletics ace, a surprise entry into the Gray sweepstakes could upset the apple cart.

The Phillies.

According to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, the Phillies are among a group of teams interested in Gray and owning the resources to complete a deal with Oakland--possibly outbidding New York in the process.

The hottest name in the pitching ranks is Gray, and several teams appear to be competing for him. The Yankees seem to be the most engaged, with an eye on expanding a deal to include first baseman Alonso. But other interested teams also have the level of prospects the A's are seeking, including the Brewers, Dodgers, Nationals, Cubs, Astros, Mariners, Royals, and Phillies (even though they're out of playoff contention).

Gray, 27, was scratched from his Sunday start as trade rumors swirled. The righty is scheduled to start on Monday night vs. the San Francisco Giants, but a deal could alter those plans.

Heading into play on July 31, Gray owns a 3.43 ERA across 97.0 innings pitched. Gray's 3.42 ERA since debuting in 2013 ranks 16th in MLB among all starters with at least 700 innings pitched during that span.

The Phillies were reportedly poking around on controllable starters, but interest in Gray is mildly surprising. While two years of team control is a boon for a team like the Yankees, the rebuilding Phillies likely won't be ready to win big until 2019--at the earliest. That would set Gray up to hit the open market right as Philadelphia would need his services the most.

Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.