SAN DIEGO -- With the Cubs signing free-agent pitcher Ryan Dempster to a contract to stay in Chicago, Padres general manager Kevin Towers figures to have an even tougher job ahead of him if he's to move Jake Peavy to the Windy City.

Towers indicated Monday that the Cubs were essentially his sole focus as far as discussions to trade Peavy, the 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner.

So where does that leave the Padres?

Towers wouldn't rule out the possibility of circling back around to the Braves, who last week said they were moving on after a deal couldn't be reached.

"You never know ... we certainly made more progress with them," Towers said. "We were able to ID and agree upon a large part of the package."

Towers said the Padres must receive Major League-ready starting pitching in return for Peavy, if he is indeed moved. If Peavy departs, the rotation would be Chris Young, Cha Seung Baek and a host of rookies unless the Padres add arms later.

One potential stumbling block regarding a deal with the Braves is their policy of not offering no-trade clauses. Peavy currently has a full no-trade clause through 2010 but only a limited clause in 2011 and 2012.

"Their club policy is they don't offer no-trade clauses. I think that's going to be important for Jake and [agent] Barry [Axelrod]," Towers said.

Either way, Towers cautioned, no deal was imminent for the simple fact that the Padres were trying to wrangle another team or two into the mix with the Cubs to give them the package of players they covet, which was something they couldn't get done with the Braves.

"They have got a few attractive pieces. But it would probably involve a third or a fourth club," Towers said of the Cubs.

But pulling in another team is usually a thorny proposition for teams, simply because getting each side to agree on what it's giving away and receiving in return is about as easy as it sounds.

"The team you're dealing directly with has to have something to offer a third club," Towers said. "That makes it much more difficult. A lot of times, your trade partner may not have what it takes to get the player you're looking for. ... And if it's a contending team, they don't want to give up their established players."

The Cubs' move to re-sign Dempster gives them an already-formidable rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Harden and Dempster. There's some speculation that Chicago will turn its attention away from pitching.