Not because of another injury, or poor performance.
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As Rosenthal said, Utley can now be traded anywhere before August 31st. The Giants trail the rival Dodgers by 2.5 games in the NL West, and trail the NL Wildcard race by 3.5 games. He would thus be a rental, added for the purposes of going for it now, with no future commitment beyond this season. Giants All-Star second baseman Joe Panik is on the DL with a back injury – but is expected to return within two weeks.
Should a deal ultimately be reached, Utley would still have the final say. 412 in albeit a small sample size of just 34 at-bats.
The veteran may be heading west after spending thirteen seasons with Philadelphia. Utley had only three extra base hits in 27 games before he went on the DL.
Utley has long maintained his desire to play for the Phillies as long as possible, but since spring training he has said he would listen to trade proposals from the front office out of respect for his longtime club.
“I feel better than I have in a while”, a statement that Utley applies to both his physical health and his swing at the plate.
Utley, who was 2-for-4, can block any trade because of his 10-and-5 rights as a 10-year Major League Baseball veteran who has been with his current team for five seasons.
The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs all have had interest, even before Utley was activated from the disabled list.
There is no guarantee that Utley will receive substantial playing time with the Phillies throughout the remainder of the season. Waiver trading is in full effect, and the San Francisco Giants are thought to be scouring the waiver wire looking for ways to improve their team for the stretch run. Utley has 10 career postseason home runs in 46 games, and has a World Series ring. 400 weekend, Utley kept his part of the deal. And that was one of the biggest goals for him and for us was to get him healthy. If Utley is claimed, the Phillies can try and work out a trade with that team or keep Utley by pulling him off waivers. It will be a day where fans of all ages, from young kids to googly-eyed women to grown men with Chase Utley man-crushes, will mourn the loss of their hero.
Maybe that’s why Utley was smiling on Sunday.
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Utley won his ring. That should bring sadness, another emotion that Utley has seldom shown. Before that, the last time a Phillies first baseman led off a game: Kevin Jordan, on May 16, 1996.
