Report: Phillies 2B Chase Utley clears waivers
Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley cleared waivers, reports Fox Sports’s Ken Rosenthal.
The Phillies placed Utley on revocable waivers on Sunday, Fox Sports’s Jon Morosi reported. After the 1 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday for teams to claim Utley passed, he can now be traded before the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline. Utley would be able to veto any trade as a a 10-year veteran who has played at least five consecutive seasons on the same team.
Utley has spent all 13 of his major-league years with the Phillies and has been linked to trade rumors all season as the Phillies continued to slide out of contention. Utley will make $15 million this season and holds a $15 million club option for next season that includes a $2 million buyout. The option vests if Utley reaches 500 plate appearances this season; he entered Tuesday with 263.
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Utley, 36, was activated from the disabled list last week after missing 37 games due to right ankle inflammation that landed him on the 15-day DL. In his four games since returning, Utley is 5-for-13 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored. On the season, he is batting .190 with four home runs, 28 RBIs and a .557 OPS over 69 games.
The Phillies entered Tuesday 45–68, winners of six of their last 10 games.
- Mike Fiammetta
