The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed on a new two-year extension with second baseman Chase Utley. The deal is reportedly worth $27 million guaranteed. Utley is in the final year of a seven-year, $85 million contract that he signed in January 2007 and was scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season.
It has also been reported that the deal includes a number of vesting features, should Utley hit 500 plate appearances in a season, and team options for 2016, 2017, and 2018. Each of these years is worth at least 15 million per season. In total Utley’s contract could be 5 years and $75 million if he hits his incentives.
The 34-year-old Utley is still in the upper echelon of second basemen with his production at the plate. Utley is hitting .275/.336/.505 with 15 home runs and 42 RBI in 83 games this season.
The negotiations have been going on for quite some time. “We’d like to keep the man in our pinstripes,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said last week.
Before the All-Star break, Utley said: “I’ve never envisioned wearing another team’s uniform. And I know there’s a lot of speculation, but I still haven’t … that still hasn’t changed over the last month. I’ve talked to Ruben. I’ve told him what I think about the organization and city of Philly. That’s kind of where we’re at.”
Utley has a career .287/.374/.500 batting line with 214 home runs and 782 RBIs in his 11-year major league career. He has spent his entire career with the Phillies. Utley is a five-time MLB All-Atar, a four-time winner of the Silver Slugger as a second baseman, and a member Philadelphia’s 2008 World Series winning club.
One issue with Utley is his chronic knee problems. While the issue hasn’t surfaced this season, his knee issues have prevented him from playing more than 115 games in any season since 2009.
The next order of business for Amaro Jr. will be dealing with catcher Carlos Ruiz and pitcher Roy Halladay as both are in the final year of their contracts. Amaro has indicated he would like to keep both players and has no plans of sending the Phillies into a rebuilding phase.
The Phillies are 51-62 this season, in fourth place in the NL East and well back of both the division leading Braves and the second National League Wildcard spot holding Cincinatti Reds.
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Main photo credit: Shannon Lamond via photopin cc
