The Phillies have missed their window to get a meaningful return in a trade for second baseman Chase Utley, and are now trying to trade him for whatever they can get. Philadelphia put Utley on revocable trade waivers Sunday, and a few contenders are in the mix, according to Jon Morosi.
These contenders would be wise to kick the tires on Utley, who's had a horrific 2015 but may be revitalized by a pennant chase.
Big Papi thinks A-Rod may still be juicing
#Phillies placed Chase Utley on trade waivers Saturday, sources say. @JSalisburyCSN reported #SFGiants have interest. @FOXSports
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 10, 2015
New York Yankees
Stephen Drew, despite his 13 home runs, is a tough sell for Yankees fans while he's hitting worse than .200. The Yankees' lone move at the deadline was to acquire Dustin Ackley, a former second base prospect who has spent two seasons playing the outfield, and hitting like Drew in the process.
3 Problems with Toront's Troy Tulowitzki Trade
Utley is hitting about as poorly as those two this season, but he has battled injuries in 2015 that the Yankees would hope are healing up by now. He is a prototypical Yankees addition as an aging veteran with championship pedigree and good pop who can hit soft fly balls over the right field wall. It isn't hard to outperform what the Bronx Bombers have gotten from second base this season, and it sure wouldn't cost much to get Utley.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants suffered a big blow when Joe Panik went down. He was hitting .309 and reaching base at a .374 clip before suffering from lower back inflammation. With back injuries timetables for a return are tough to nail down, and right now they’re running Ehire Adrianza out there, who in three shots at MLB action has failed to hit better than .237.
Utley’s slash line of .188/.263/.294 is an eyesore, and his defense looked like it was cratering at age 36, but he’s a veteran bat that could get hot. If Panik returns Utley is veteran insurance for the postseason, and a potentially valuable hitter off the bench.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays don’t need much help it seems after swinging deals for Troy Tulowitzki and David Price, but with 2B Devon Travis on the shelf with a strained shoulder, why not make a play for another battle-tested veteran? The Blue Jays have the longest playoff drought in the four major American sports, so October experience should be at a premium for them.
Utley brings a ton of it, plus, the juice of a playoff race might snap him out of his season-long funk. It’s not like Ryan Goins has ever lit the world on fire with his play.
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