Amaro to stay 'open minded' on Utley trade talk
Since returning from the disabled list 11 days ago, Chase Utley has brought his bat back from the dead and has also become baseball's hottest trade target since Cole Hamels. But he holds a full no-trade clause and may not want to leave the only team he's ever known.
Maikel Franco was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a small fracture in his left hand on Tuesday afternoon. It's terrible news for the rebuilding Phillies, because of course they would have preferred to keep watching their Rookie of the Year candidate complete his first full big-league season.
But, in a weird way, Franco's injury news clears up another hot topic in Philliesland. A crowded infield is suddenly less crowded and both Chase Utley and Cesar Hernandez are expected to play regularly in Franco's absence, which could very well be the remainder of the 2015 season (Franco won't come out of splint for 2-3 weeks).
Hernandez is expected to get the chance to play regularly at third base in place of Franco, and Utley will man second base. But what happens when Utley gets traded?
The Utley trade rumors, which have persisted for nearly two weeks and got particuarly loud this weekend, with MLB.com reporting that the Los Angeles Angels believe they were at the finish line of a trade, have quieted in the last 48 hours. In a Tuesday morning interview on 94-WIP, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said it was "very likely" that Utley would remain with the team for the rest of 2015.
Amaro reiterated that statement Tuesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park before his team took batting practice. Amaro said ever since Utley received his 10/5 rights (10 years in the big leagues, at least the last 5 with his current team) and, thus, a full no-trade clause, he hasn't had any real desire to leave the Phillies.
"I don't think that Chase has that desire to leave, frankly," Amaro said. "And the Phillies don't have the desire to move him out of here. We're going to be open-minded about all of the opportunities that present themselves over the next couple weeks."
The Angels, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are among the teams that were reportedly in hot pursuit of Utley. The New York Yankees and Houston Astros also had interest.
Utley is likely to be a free agent at the end of the season. He doesn't have enough time to reach the $15 million vesting clause in his contract. He does have a $2 million buyout in his deal.
Amaro wouldn't say whether the Phillies had any interest in exercising an $11 million club option. The embattled GM basically said all windows will be left open, including the one that would have Utley wearing a different uniform in the next two weeks, even if he doesn't believe that's likely.
"All I'll really say about that is we continue to be open-minded," Amaro said. "There's no mandate. Same situation with other guys we've had. There's no mandate to move him, and there's no mandate to keep him. We'll stay open-minded."