Dodgers’ Chase Utley’s Suspension Reportedly Overturned

The Dodgers and Chase Utley were at the center of controversy following Utley’s takeout slide in last years’ NLCS. The rule was changed, but Utley’s suspension has reportedly been lifted by the MLB.

We all remember the controversy that clouded the Dodgers’ game two win in last years NLCS. A quick recap if you’ve blocked last season’s playoffs out of your memory as I have.

The Mets were leading the Dodgers 2-1 in the seventh inning. With runners on the corners and one out, Howie Kendrick hit a ground ball up the middle. Daniel Murphy got to the ball and flipped to Ruben Tejada at second to start an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. His flip was a bit behind the bag, leading to Tejada having to twirl to catch the ball. Utley slid extremely late at the spinning Tejada, colliding straight on with the shortstops’ legs. Utley missed the base in his attempt to take out Tejada, but Tejada also missed the base. It was initially ruled an out at second, but manager Don Mattingly challenged and he was ruled safe at second.

When all was said and done, the Dodgers had runners on first and second, one out in a tie game. After a fly out, Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner hit back to back doubles to give the Dodgers the 5-2 lead, which the Mets did not come back from.

Tejada had a broken fibula, the Dodgers evened up the series and there was a ton of outrage. Many calling for a suspension, which had never happened with a slide at second as far as I can remember. Some of the less-classy baseball writers and fans were calling for Utley to take a fastball off a body part, because you know the old saying “two wrongs always make a right”. Utley was suspended and appealed, but the Dodgers were eliminated before his appeal was heard. He would have been suspended for two games this season, until this.

About a week ago, MLB announced a slide rule change, and if I know baseball media it will forever be known as the Utley Rule. Essentially, this rule now outlaws players from kicking, shoving or throwing their bodies into a defender. Basically, you can’t body check or sweep the leg anymore, as any slide has to be a legit slide with intentions of reaching the base and remaining on the base. Violation of the rule will lead to the runner being called out and the batter-runner also being called out. These plays are reviewable, as are neighborhood plays now, so R.I.P. pace of play.

The rule change is fair, as there’s really no reason takeout slides should be legal in the first place. Tejada wasn’t the only player injured by a slide, and just think how Dodger fans would have handled it if Corey Seager would have been injured on a slide like that. Utley should have never been suspended in the first place, as his slide was no more malicious that Chris Coghlan‘s slide in a regular season game last September that could keep Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang out through the beginning of this season. Utley’s slide came in a much bigger game, on a much bigger stage against a New York team, so obviously the takes were hotter. Luckily, MLB had the sense to not make up rules and suspensions as it went along. If a slide like Utley’s and Coghlan’s happens this season, a suspension might be warranted. But with so much grey area in previous slide rules, they would have been scrutinized no matter what.

So the Dodgers will have Utley available when the season starts in under a month. Losing him for two games probably wouldn’t have been a big deal, as his role on the team is still not necessarily known. But MLB got this one right.

The Dodgers are still awaiting word on whether Yasiel Puig will be suspended on domestic violence charges. Yankees’ pitcher Aroldis Chapman was suspended 30 games under the domestic violence policy, but ESPN’s Pedro Gomez reported that Puig would likely not be suspended. Puig reportedly got in a fight with a bouncer at a bar in Miami and allegedly pushed his sister, but “sources told Gomez that nothing has been uncovered that would warrant a suspension”.