Phillies Trade Chase Utley To The Dodgers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Phillies have announced the trade of Chase Utley to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Utley is yet another key member of the 2008 World Series Champions to be traded.
The Phillies have traded Utley and cash considerations to the Dodgers in exchange for outfielder Darnell Sweeney and right-hander John Richy, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Wednesday.
PHOTOS: Chase Utley Through The Years
Sweeney, 24, was hitting .271 with 30 doubles, nine home runs, 49 RBI and 32 stolen bases in 116 games for triple-A Oklahoma City this season. A switch-hitter, Sweeney leads the Pacific Coast League in stolen bases, ranks fourth in games, tied for seventh in doubles and has the eighth-most hits (128). He was named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team this year after being a Southern League All-Star last season. Sweeney was a 13th-round selection by the Dodgers in the 2012 draft out of the University of Central Florida.
Richy was 10-5 with a 4.20 ERA and one shutout in 22 games (18 starts) for single-A Rancho Cucamonga. He is currently tied for the California League lead in wins, ranks fifth in innings pitched (124.1), ninth in ERA and 10th in strikeouts (105) and is one of only five pitchers in the league to throw a shutout this season. The 23-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2014 draft out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
When asked about his career in Philadelphia during a media availability Wednesday night, Utley had this to say:
"I don't think we can be around all night to go through all the great memories we had here but obviously winning the World Series in 2008 nothing gets better than that. The way the city reacted to that team, was truly special. Something that I will never forget, going down Broad Street after winning the World Series was an amazing feeling, and I think we all in this room, if you were here, felt the same thing. And just like I said, the hardest part is leaving the city of Philadelphia. They've been so good to me and so supportive of me over the years that I can't thank them enough for it, but I'll try," said Utley.
READ: Chase Utley's Top 5 Most Memorable Phillies Moments
The Phillies have also parted with Cole Hamels and Jimmy Rollins. Utley will head to Los Angeles to reunite with his double-play partner in Rollins.
"The Dodgers are a team that I grew up watching, I remember going to 1988 World Series game with my dad, so there's definitely some family ties there and it was a very, very difficult decision for me and my family to go. It's not so much changing uniforms but it's really about leaving this city that has given so much to me over the course of the 12 or 13 years I've been here, so it's definitely difficult but like Ruben said, it's time," said Utley.
Utley was in his 13th season with the Phillies and became known as one of the hardest working players in franchise history. Utley made six all-star appearances as a member of the Phillies.
Utley won 4 Silver Slugger Awards as well and made the top-10 in MVP voting three times in his career.
A career .282 hitter, Utley provided the Phillies with a solid No. 3 hitter for much of his tenure with the team. He amassed 949 runs, 1,623 hits, 233 home runs and 916 RBIs during his Phillies career.
Utley is a native of Pasadena, C.A. and attended UCLA.
