Utley to be activated; Blanton to DL
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Utley to be activated; Blanton to DL
Daily News Staff
Chase Utley will be activated from the 15-day disabled on Monday before the Phillies' game against the Cincinnati Reds, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Sunday. In anticipation of Utley’s return, the Phillies have optioned infielder Pete Orr to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The Phillies also will place righthander Joe Blanton on the 15-day disabled list on Monday, retroactive to May 16, with right elbow inflammation. To fill his spot on the 25-man roster, the Phillies will recall righthander Vance Worley from Lehigh Valley, who will start Tuesday night against the Reds.
Utley, 32, has spent the entire season on the DL with right knee tendinitis/chondromalacia. He appeared in nine games with single-A Clearwater as part of a rehabilitation assignment, batting .281 in 32 at-bats with two doubles, one home run, four RBI and four runs scored. He also went 6-for-14 with two home runs in two extended spring training games. Last season, Utley hit .275 with a .387 on-base percentage, 20 doubles, 16 HR, 65 RBI and 75 runs scored in 115 games.
Orr, 31, is batting .230 with three RBI in 26 games in his first season with the Phillies. Defensively, he has appeared in 20 games at second base and one at third base.
Blanton is 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA in six starts with Philadelphia this season. He was previously on the DL from April 29 (retroactive to April 24) to May 3 with a medial impingement in his right elbow. The 30-year-old was a late scratch in his last scheduled start, May 19 against the Colorado Rockies, with soreness in his throwing elbow.
Worley, 23, has posted a 2-0 record with a 1.13 ERA in four games with the Phillies in 2011. In two starts, he is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. He began the year with an 11.0-inning scoreless streak and has allowed just two earned runs overall in 16.0 innings. In five starts with Lehigh Valley this season, he is 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA.
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They couldn't hit last year with Utley and Werth in the lineup. This lineup won't scare anyone and if their pitchers give up 3 runs, they propably won't be winning the game.— farley- Outfield of the future, Utley - Victorino - Brown— ATrucksess
- "oh danny boy, the pipes the pipes are call-all-ling",.....fortunately those pipes are far far away— SyddBarrett
- Martinez will go down soon enough,.....when Carlos Beltran arrives,.....gotta wait till these idiot outfield experiments are done i guess;....plus time is money with his big deal so i guess you can't blame RAJ for waiting a little while longer— SyddBarrett
- Simple math: Utley greater than Orr or Valdez; Worley greater than Blanton; Brown greater than Mike Martinez (when Victorino comes back); Contreras greater than Herndon. It's really not complicated.— eman
In his first year Kyle Kendrick started 20 games, went 10-4 with a 3.87 ERA. You can't read too far into what guys do right away. Wait until a book is established on specs, then I'll buy into him.— MPatt24- We need a real outfield. The current outfield is pathetic.— shawnmac
- I think NewMick has a valid point. Before he was sent to AAA Worley was pitching out of the bullpen. Then, in his first start back at Lehigh he only went 3 innings. So it's been a while since he's had an outing resembling a start.
Welcome back Chase!— s - New Mick....Worley started at Lehigh Valley the day after he was sent down. I believe this start would essentially be on schedule for him with an extra day. He pitched poorly in that outing, but he should be able to go six.— Armyofthe15Monkies
- Worley is not stretched out. Went only 3 innings a week ago. Has not started in over two weeks. Look for (SORRY BOUT THIS FOLKS) KK and DanyBoy by mid game on Tues.— NewMick314
- How much pressure will be on Chase from the fans (or himself)?— M60tanker
- Are you seriously wasting your time giving an opinion on whether or not they should have gotten rid of a guy hitting .230 or a guy hitting .194. Give me a break. Orr has options and wasn't lighting it up. They want a longer look at Martinez and he can play CF with Shane down so it's a no brainer. Even if you have an opinion for some reason, we're talking about the last guy on the bench. Give it up.
Just saw the Podsednik signing. I'd just call it insurance. It's not like he's been hotly sought after and the Phillies had to pay him over slot to get him. It's a minor league deal for depth. If they went out and traded for a CF, sure, assume Shane's out for a while.— tripleplay83 - Phillies are now a rowboat without an Orr.— dasher
- Podsednik signing = Shane out for a while?— andrewfrombrooklyn
- I agree that they should dump Martinez. He's a waste of a roster position. At least Baez and Herndon are good for mop up duty. I don't know that they need Orr though. They'd be better off getting someone with a little pop in his bat.— SteveS11
- would rather have Martinez sent down but I guess until Victorino is back we need that extra outfielder.— philsfan in the atx
- Orr needs to stay on the club. Get rid of Martinez (I know he's a Rule 5 pick and don't care) or even a useless reliever like Baez or Herndon.— DS17
- Agreed — DPL
- I completely agree. Martinez will be 29 years old at the end of the year. This guy is not a major leaguer. it isn't like he's young and has potential.... — MPatt24
- It's Philly Easter! Chase Utley is risen!— ErikN
- Happy to see them bring Worley back, IMO he earned his spot in the rotation— danielboyer
