Make no mistake, any injury to Chase Utley would be a major blow to the Phillies. It’s no suprise that the team started scoring more when Utley found his stroke at the plate.
Before last night’s game at Cincinnati, Utley was hitting .390 over the last two weeks.
When Utley was pulled for a pinch hitter Monday, we all knew something was up. An MRI on his thumb is scheduled for today.
If he just sprained or jammed his thumb and is out for a week or two, the Phillies can survive.
Placido Polanco will take his Gold Glive and man second, assuming he’s healthy. Without Utley, the smart money says he’ll play through elbow pain.
A combination of Wilson Valdez and Juan Castro at third is far from ideal. But both proved during Jimmy Rollins absences this year that they can fill the hole adequately in the short term.
With all the injuries the Phils have had this year, they’re still just 3.5 games out of first. Other teams would have completely tanked. See the Mets last year.
If, however, Utley is out for an extended period of time — think six to eight weeks — Ruben Amaro will have to address the issue. The good news is that he can find either a second or third baseman thanks to Polanco’s flexibility.
Of course, long term, nobody can replace Utley’s intangibles. If that’s the case, the Phils may be in trouble.
For now, cross your fingers and hope the MRI isn’t bad.
