The Phillies have lost eight of nine games, but they were provided with some good news during Mondays off-day -- Chase Utley will officially begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Single A Clearwater.
Utley will DH.
It begins an official 20-day minor league rehab clock, meaning the latest Utley can return to the major leagues is July 2, which is also an off-day. The Phillies will play 19 games before then. As Jim Salisbury pointed out last week, it is expected that both Howard and Utley will max-out their time or at least come close to doing so once they begin their rehab clocks.
Utley hasnt played in a game this season because of chronic knee soreness. He fielded ground balls for the first time on May 17 and traveled to Florida on June 3 to begin participating in extended spring training games.
Phillies second basemen have performed admirably in Utley's stead, batting .262.283.412. The .283 on-base portion of that line is what Utley figures to improve. He has a .377 lifetime OBP and even during an injury-marred 2011 managed to get on base at a .344 clip.
That said, only three other teams have had more RBI from their second basemen than the Phils' 33, and only the Yankees and Rangers have had more doubles.
Most of that production came from rookie Freddy Galvis, who had 15 doubles and 24 RBI but is out for the foreseeable future with a pars fracture in his back.
MLB
Good news on Polanco
Third baseman Placido Polanco had a positive checkup on his strained left wrist on Monday. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said there was a good possibility that Polanco would be ready to play Tuesday or Wednesday. Polanco has missed five straight games, but took batting practice at Citizens Bank Park on Monday.
Phils sign draft pick Watson
The Phillies have agreed to terms with righthanded pitcher Shane Watson, the 40th overall pick in last Wednesday's draft, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
Callis writes that the Phils signed Watson for 1,291,300, the full value of his draft slot. Watson, 18, sports a mid-to-high 90s fastball and a decent curveball.