UPDATE, 8:01 p.m. ET: CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman says the base of the deal is two years, $27 million. That’s pretty good value for a player like Utley.
*******************
7:32 p.m. ET: As first reported by CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury, the Phillies have reached agreement on a contract extension with second baseman Chase Utley. The specifics of the deal have not been made available, but FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal is hearing that it will be a two-year pact in the high $20 million range with multiple vesting options.
There was talk of Utley being shopped at last month’s July 31 trade deadline, but the Philadelphia front office wound up selling no one and will try to build around the current crop of Phillies players.
Utley is in the final season of a seven-year, $85 million contract that he signed in January 2007. The 34-year-old is still a highly productive hitter, boasting a .275/.336/.505 batting line with 15 home runs and 42 RBI in 83 games this year. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. wasn’t kidding about not wanting to rebuild.
