Chase Utley Heading To Los Angeles

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Phillies have traded second baseman Chase Utley to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor league players.

The Phillies will also pay $2 million dollars of Utley’s remaining contract.

After the trade, Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz are now the only core players from the National League pennant seasons in 2008 and 2009 that are still on the team.

This season for Philadelphia, Utley has a .217 batting average, five home runs and 30 RBI.

This season was one of the worst statistically speaking for Utley; he is not the same player he was a few years ago.

Even though Utley is out of his prime, he is still a good reliable veteran.

Utley brings leadership to the Dodgers and will fill in for Howie Kendrick while the second baseman rehabs back from injury.

The team is in the middle of a tight race right now and adding a reliable second baseman while Kendrick is out will make a huge difference down the stretch.

Phillies gets two minor league players, who could turn out to be something that the team could use during their rebuilding process.

UPDATE (Thomas Eurich, editor): The Philadelphia Phillies did pretty well in this trade prospect wise landing two top 30 prospects in Darnell Sweeney and John Richy.

Sweeney will pick up Utley’s spot on the 40 man roster and could eventually turn into their number 2 hitter. He has some versatility to him as well and has played second base, shortstop, and center field all in his minor league career. He will probably end up playing center field mostly with Philly. He shows decent power and speed while in the minors.

Richy was a former third rounder by the Dodgers, but only projects as a back of the rotation starter. He is mainly an organizational piece due to many teams having a boat load of these types of players. His fastball can reach up to 94 miles per hour.