The Yankees haven’t contacted the Mariners about Ken Griffey, Jr. and are thinking about reaching out to Dwight Gooden.

And while both are longshots, the Yankees are making strides toward getting reliever Mike Stanton’s name on a multi-year deal. “We are close with Stanton,” VP of baseball operations Mark Newman said. “Something could get done.”

Stanton, 32, is one of six Yankee free agents and is looking for a three-year deal in the $6.5 million range and wants to stay with the team he has helped win two straight World Series titles.

In 73 games, the durable lefty was 2-2 with a 4.33 ERA this past season when he struggled due to long stretches of inactivity.

Together with Jeff Nelson, Stanton has provided Joe Torre a middle-inning bridge to get to Mariano Rivera, the best closer in baseball.

As for the other five Yankee free agents – David Cone, Jim Leyritz, Luis Sojo, Joe Girardi and Allen Watson – talks are on-going.

As for Gooden, GM Brian Cashman wasn’t ruling out bringing the veteran right-hander back to The Bronx. Gooden, who spent the last two years pitching ineffectively for the Indians, became a free agent last week when the Tribe didn’t pick up his option.

“I wouldn’t close the door on anybody,” Cashman said.

While Gooden still thinks of himself as a starter, sources close to him insist he would accept a bullpen role if the team was the Yankees. If the Yankees trade Hideki Irabu and move Ramiro Mendoza into the rotation, Gooden could take Mendoza’s bullpen spot. If Torre believes Mendoza is better as a reliever, he could move Gooden into the No. 5 starter’s spot.