Just a day ago it appeared that Ken Griffey Jr. would be heading back to Seattle for a one-year reunion with the Mariners. But now the Braves are making a late push for the free agent outfielder.

Atlanta, which has been looking for a reasonably priced, veteran outfield bat, lost out to the Los Angeles Angels this week in a bid to sign Bobby Abreu.

If the Braves don’t sign Griffey, they could turn to veteran Garret Anderson as a fallback. But sources said that Griffey is Atlanta’s prime target, and the Braves are “in the mix” for his services.

The interest is apparently mutual. Griffey lives in Orlando, Fla., where Atlanta’s spring training site is located, and has a good relationship with Braves manager Bobby Cox.

Griffey would also be willing to split time with Matt Diaz in left field for the Braves, sources said.

Griffey is playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in California this weekend. After playing a round Thursday, he told reporters that media reports of his imminent return to Seattle were nothing more than “rumors.”

Griffey would be a solid, low cost addition to the Braves’ outfield. It’ll be interesting to see how this one turns out.