Veteran second baseman Chase Utley is in the market for a new team after completing his 13th season in the major leagues.
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Utley’s Return ‘100 Percent’
Tuesday, Oct. 27
Utley’s representative, Joel Wolfe, told Joel Sherman of the New York Post on Tuesday that the 36-year-old will be playing baseball next season.
In fact, Wolfe said, “One hundred percent he is playing next year.”
Speculation arose that Utley was considering retirement after his appeal hearing for a two-game suspension was moved until the spring. The league originally suspended Utley for his takeout slide of New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada during Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
Sherman explained:
The thought was why have a hearing if Utley might decide to call it a career during the winter. However, once it could not expedite a hearing while the Dodgers were still in the postseason, MLB decided to push back the process so as not to overshadow the postseason or Hot Stove League.
According to Sherman, the Los Angeles Dodgers will decline his $15 million 2016 option, which will make him a free agent.
Utley is coming off of a 2015 season in which he experienced career lows in batting average and on-base percentage. His eight home runs and 39 RBI were his lowest since his 43-game debut season in 2003.
The longtime Philadelphia Phillie was traded to the Dodgers toward the end of August, when he was given another shot to play for a winner. He took home a title with the Phillies in 2008. A hard-nosed, win-at-all-costs veteran, Utley could find a new home with a team looking for a seasoned leader.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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