The MLB hasn't seen too many big waiver trades this month, but that doesn't mean there won't be any fireworks to come. A lot of big names are dangling in the wind, ready for the taking. Perhaps one of the more tossed around names is Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley.
Utley, 36, no longer fits into the plans of the down-and-out Phillies who are in desperate need of a youth movement. As such, ESPN MLB Insider Jim Bowden believes Philadelphia could send him and cash to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Kyle Crick.
"The Giants are expecting second baseman Joe Panik to return to their lineup no later than Sept. 1, but that hasn't stopped them from pursuing Utley," Bowden wrote. "Panik has been dealing with lower-back inflammation, an injury the Giants should be concerned about given its risk of lingering. Utley would start right away for the Giants, and if he gets hot, the Giants would have the luxury of waiting until Panik is fully healthy before he returns. Utley, who has won a championship with the Phillies, would fit in nicely in the clubhouse of the reigning champions.
"The Phillies should pick up all but about $1 million of Utley's remaining salary to make this happen, and in return they'd get a solid bullpen arm in Crick, who has the stuff to start but not the command or control to succeed as a starter. With the right coaching, he could still smooth out his delivery, find a consistent release point and blossom into a solid starter down the road, but even if he doesn't, the Phillies still get a usable reliever for about seven weeks of Utley."
Utley isn't quite the offensive threat he once was. He's hitting just .213 with five home runs and 30 RBIs in 72 games this year. But he's still a useful player who can help out a team with World Series aspirations.
