Whenever the Philadelphia Phillies faithful hear the name Chase Utley, they'll always remember the underrated superstar who rose to fame during the mid-2000s for leading the way to the team's second World Series championship in 2008. Not only did he help define an era of Phillies baseball, but he also became one of the most popular Phillies of all time.
For those who may need a refresher on what he accomplished, Utley remains the all-time leader for Phillies second baseman in practically every major statistical category. A true difference maker for the club, his overall impact on the team and the sport overall will never be forgotten.
Utley was recently back in town at Citizens Bank Park promoting the upcoming London Series and mentioned his possible future plans. Could we really see Utley back in MLB on this side of the pond in the near future?
Former Phillies star Chase Utley coming back to MLB?
As revealed in a recent interview, Utley says anything is possible, per Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation. Following his retirement in 2018, he has taken roles as a broadcaster and as part of the Los Angeles Dodgers front office. More recently, Utley has been an ambassador to Europe for MLB since 2022 (subscription required) and currently resides in London, England with his family.
But when asked about whether he could be back in a more serious role in the game that he loved, he confirmed that anything is on the table.
“Anything is possible, to be honest,” Utley said, per Lugardo. “I love the game. I’d like to stay involved. The one thing that I want is to make my own schedule, which I think I’ve earned that right. To stay involved at the major league level, it’s something that I’m interested in.”
With the way that he played the game, the baseball IQ and the smarts that he displayed both at the plate and in the field, he would definitely make a good manager if he ever considered the role. However, as a father of two young boys, Utley would prefer to have the flexibility for now, particularly with what he can do with his valuable time.
“To be good at it, it consumes a lot of your time,” Utley said. “Raising two young boys, I’m not quite ready for . Let’s talk in like, 10 years.”
So there you have it. People can start rejoicing that Utley will eventually find his way back into MLB, even though we may have to wait patiently for a decade before it happens. Nevertheless, having one of the best in the game back in any form or capacity will already be a big win for both Utley and the baseball world.