The San Diego Padres appear to be moving closer to making a move involving first baseman/outfielder Kyle Blanks, according to major league sources with knowledge of the situation. While a demotion to Triple-A El Paso is possible, industry speculation on Monday afternoon was that Blanks could be on the verge of being traded--with the Oakland Athletics as a potential landing spot.

It is currently unclear how close the teams are to making a deal for Blanks, who has hit .200 in five major league games with the Padres this season. The Padres are expecting Carlos Quentin to return from the disabled list on Tuesday, meaning that they will have to clear roster space for him, so a move involving Blanks would make sense.

One player that could be involved in talks is Athletics' outfielder Jake Goebbert, according to a baseball source. Goebbert, who is currently at Triple-A Sacramento, has appeared in 31 of the team's 37 games so far this season, but was curiously kept out of the lineup on Monday night.

Blanks, a .228 hitter with 28 HR and 98 RBI in parts of six seasons with the Padres, would provide the Athletics with an interesting bench or minor league depth option if they were to acquire him in the near future. The 27-year old has shown flashes of talent throughout his career, and may benefit from a change of scenery.