Chase Utley keeps on chugging in LA Blue.
Frankly, I expected 2015 to be Chase Utley’s last season in the majors. He batted just .212 between the Phillies and Dodgers, hitting just .202 after the August trade. He struck out at a higher rate than he ever did with the Phillies, striking out more than 20% of the time.
Of course, Utley made headlines in the 2015 playoffs after his takeout slide on the Mets’ Ruben Tejada. Without much offensive value and plenty of controversy surrounding him, Utley didn’t seem long for Los Angeles.
However, the Dodgers appreciated Utley’s presence enough to bring him back on a one-year, seven million dollar deal. So far, it’s paid off for them.
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Despite the fact Utley continued to strikeout at an abnormally high rate, he still provided nearly two fWAR for the Dodgers at second base. Fangraphs estimates Utley’s value at $14.9 million this season, more than double what the Dodgers are paying him. Despite this being one of Utley’s worst seasons, it’s still a bargain for Los Angeles.
One intangible Utley has going for him is his relationship with Rookie of the Year favorite Corey Seager. The two follow a near-identical schedule, from when they arrive to the clubhouse to recovery after workouts. Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell said the two “are so much alike. They have the same personality. They are blue-collar with talent, super humble, super straight-up, with no flash” to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Howell called Utley an “inspiration” for the younger players on L.A.’s roster.
Seager told Nightengale that Utley still wants to win a World Series for his hometown team. With a young core of Seager, Clayton Kershaw, and Yasmani Grandal, along with veterans like Utley, the Dodgers have a good shot at going the distance.