Friday, May 20, 2011
Posted: 7:58 p.m.
By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com
Will Chase Utley be back in the Phillies lineup Monday night?
Do the math and that might be the conclusion you reach.
Utley was scheduled to play Friday night and Saturday for the Clearwater Threshers. If he sticks with that plan, he will have played four days in a row. After a test like that, Utley could take Sunday off and be in the Phillies lineup Monday night against Cincinnati at Citizens Bank Park. The Reds scheduled starter that night is righthander Bronson Arroyo. Utley is 4 for 9 with a home run lifetime against Arroyo. Might not be a bad spot to work him in.
All this is pure speculation, mind you. The Phillies have continually said they dont have an official timetable for Utley, who is recovering from right knee tendinitis. The team has said Utleys condition will dictate the timetable and one setback could slow things down. That said, there have been signs that the club and Utley have been targeting the current homestand for his return. Utleys 20-day rehab stint runs through May 29.
Utley was scheduled to be Clearwaters designated hitter on Friday and play second base on Saturday. He entered Friday 6 for 24 with a double and a homer in seven games. Utley missed all of spring training and has not played in a big-league game since October.
MLB
Health check
The Phillies placed outfielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain and recalled Domonic Brown from Triple A. In need of a bullpen arm, the Phils recalled David Herndon and sent Scott Mathieson to Triple A. The Phils will place pitcher Joe Blanton on the DL before Tuesday. Vance Worley is expected to be recalled to pitch that day in place of Blanton, who could not make his start Thursday nigtht because of a sore elbow.
Blanton had an MRI on Friday. Results were not immediately known. The righthander had battled medial elbow discomfort since spring training. According to general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., the pain has spread to other areas of the elbow. That is not a good sign.
Reliever Jose Contreras, on the DL with a sore elbow, will pitch an inning for Double A Reading on Saturday.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com
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