Chase Utley has been nowhere near the player he was in his prime with the Philadelphia Phillies since the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him, and the six-time All-Star has decided it will soon be time to call it a career.
Utley scheduled an unexpected press conference for Friday afternoon, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the 39-year-old will announce he is retiring at the end of the season.
I have been told plan with Utley is to announce he is retiring effective at the end of this season (he has a contract for next year). #Dodgers
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 13, 2018
Utley is a career .276 hitter, but he is batting just .231 with one home run and 14 RBI this season. He hit just .236 in 127 games with the Dodgers last year. Utley, who helped the Phillies win a World Series in 2008, was given one of baseball’s Silver Slugger Awards four consecutive years from 2006 through 2009.
