2015 Dodgers review: Chase Utley

The Dodgers ended up with not one but two longtime Phillies middle infielders on the same team, both by the end of the season serving more as extra parts, and it was kind of weird. Here's a look at the second baseman of that duo, Chase Utley

What went right

Utley was a bit of a surprising pickup by the Dodgers, acquired in a waiver trade on Aug. 19, but he was the right fit at the right time for the Dodgers, starting 20 of 26 games at second base until Howie Kendrick returned from a left hamstring strain.

Utley had a nine-game hitting streak from Aug. 31 to Sept. 12, during which he hit .302/.362/.535 with four doubles and two home runs.

Despite playing only 34 games for the Dodgers, the plate-crowding Utley was tied for third on the team with six hit by pitches.

He started three games and played 25 innings at third base with the Dodgers, the first time for Utley at the hot corner in his 13-year major league career, and his first time at the position as a professional since 2002 in Triple-A.

Utley was 1-for-3 in his three games as a pinch-hitter in the NLDS against the Mets, scoring the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Dodgers rallied to win Game 2. More on that in a moment.

What went wrong

Whether it was getting worn down from playing nearly every day after his acquisition, or whether he was feeling the after effects of right ankle inflammation that sidelined him on the disabled list for 37 games earlier in the season, Utley wasn't terribly productive overall with the Dodgers.

Defensive metrics seemed to love his short time in Los Angeles, but he ended up hitting just .202/.291/.363 with a .290 wOBA in 141 plate appearances with the Dodgers. On the season, including his time with Philadelphia, Utley hit .212/.286/.343 with a .274 wOBA, a 73 OPS+ and 71 wRC+ after averaging a 114 OPS+ and 114 wRC+ from 2011-2014.

Utley was at the center of a controversy because of a late slide at second base to break up a double play in Game 2 of the NLDS. Utley not only broke up the double play, but was ruled safe at second base because Ruben Tejada missed the bag. The Dodgers scored the tying run on that play — instead of the inning ending on a potential interference call on Utley — then scored three more times to take the lead and tie the series.

But Tejada broke his leg on the play, giving MLB the type of national television exposure it didn't want, and Utley received a two-game suspension, which will be appealed during the offseason. The suspension itself is fairly unprecedented and might not hold up, but the Utley slide/tackle could end up being the needed harbinger of change for MLB to outlaw such plays by a rule change.

2015 particulars

Age: 36

Stats: .202/.291/.363, .290 wOBA, 3 HR, 9 doubles in 34 games with Dodgers; 0.9 rWAR, 0.5 fWAR

Salary: $10 million, of which the Dodgers were responsible for $2.13 million.

Game of the year

Utley was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in a win over the Diamondbacks on Sept. 23. He led off the game with a home run in the first inning, then hit the go-ahead double in the eighth and scored later in the inning.

Roster status

Utley has a club option for 2016 worth a reported $11 million, though the Dodgers are expected to decline that this week. If the Dodgers decline the option, the Phillies will pay the $2 million buyout per terms of the trade.