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Royals would gain A's third-base prospect

ESPN.com news services
The Carlos Beltran Sweepstakes are nearing an end, and the winner appears to be the Houston Astros.

A three-way trade that would send Beltran -- the biggest prize on the trade market -- to Houston and Astros closer Octavio Dotel to Oakland is "very close" to being completed, a baseball official with knowledge of the talks tells ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.

According to two sources, the trade could be completed Thursday night.

Dotel would wind up in Oakland, where he would take over as the closer in a bullpen that has more blown saves (14) than saves (13), sources said. Kansas City would acquire three prospects in the deal, the most significant being Oakland's highly regarded third-base prospect Mark Teahan. A's minor league pitcher Mike Wood and touted Astros minor league catcher John Buck are alse included, ESPN's Peter Gammons reports.

Beltran would succeed Craig Biggio as the Astros' center fielder. Biggio probably would move to left field.

Cash also would change hands in the deal.

The Associated Press is reporting that Beltran was told by the Royals on Thursday that he is being traded to Houston. Beltran was informed of the deal by Royals general manager Allard Baird, AP reports.

Oakland said it would have a conference call later Thursday but did not announce the subject.

Houston last week traded outfielder Richard Hidalgo to the Mets for relief pitcher David Weathers.