Chase Utley

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Lore & Background

After becoming a permanent fixture as the Phillies' second baseman, Utley demonstrated versatility, spending some time at first base as well. As his fielding improved, he and shortstop Jimmy Rollins were regarded as one of the best middle-infield combinations in the NL until Rollins was traded to the Dodgers in the winter of 2014. Utley was considered by fans to be a team leader of the Phillies, alongside Rollins and Ryan Howard, and he was also noted for his leadership qualities with the Dodgers. Utley was known for his quiet understated demeanor, instead setting an example for teammates with his exhaustive preparation in the video room and the batting cage. He has been criticized by some as a "dirty" player, particularly for an overly aggressive baserunning style which included a 2015 incident where Utley intentionally slid into New York Mets shortstop Rubén Tejada, breaking his leg.

In Their Own Story

Utley's journey began at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where his coach praised his "fastest hands" and he hit over .500 with a slugging percentage exceeding 1.000. After turning down an $850,000 offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2nd round of the 1997 draft to attend UCLA, he moved from shortstop to second base due to arm strength concerns. Drafted by the Phillies in the first round (15th pick) of 2000, he made his debut on April 4, 2003, striking out swinging against Jeff Suppan. His first start came on April 24 against the Colorado Rockies, where he hit a grand slam off Aaron Cook. By June 2005, after trading Plácido Polanco to Detroit, Utley became a full-time starter, hitting .291 with 28 home runs and earning co-recipient of the Mike Schmidt MVP Award. In 2006, he maintained a 35-game hitting streak, tying Luis Castillo for the longest by a second baseman, and combined with Rollins to become the first NL middle-infield pair to hit 25 home runs each in a season.

Reader's Guide

Utley's seven career World Series home runs are the most for a second baseman, and he shares the record of five home runs in a single World Series with Reggie Jackson and George Springer. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round (15th pick) of the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut on April 4, 2003. He signed a 7-year, $85 million contract extension with the Phillies on January 21, 2007. He was a six-time All-Star and won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008.

Did You Know?

• Utley's 35-game hitting streak in 2006 is the longest by a second baseman, tied with Luis Castillo.
• He hit a grand slam for his first major league hit on April 24, 2003.
• Utley turned down an $850,000 offer from the Dodgers after being drafted in 1997 to attend UCLA.