Dodgers: Chase Utley Talks About the Most Nervous At-Bat of His Career

Before coming to the Dodgers in 2015, Chase Utley had already played in 46 playoff games. That includes a World Series win in 2008 and a World Series loss in 2009. Utley had been through it all before he eas even a though in Los Angeles. 

But as it turns out, those situations he was put through during some of the tensest moments of play would be nothing compared to one regular-season at-bat in 2016. That at-bat came in a Dodgers’ uniform the very first time Chase Utley made his return to Philadelphia. He talked about the tense plate appearance with NBC Philadelphia. 

I remember that first at-bat vividly. I was so nervous. More nervous than I have ever been in any other at-bat. Just to be in a different uniform in front of a crowd that supported me so much over the years. My knees and legs were shaking a little bit, I tried to hide it. 

The retired Dodgers’ and Phillies’ second baseman played close to 2,000 games in his big league career, but this one at age 37 got to Utley. The Phillies traded him over to Los Angeles in the summer of 2015 after 13 years in Philly. 

Utley came to the Dodgers and immediately cemented himself as one of the main veterans of the clubhouse. He was instrumental in both of Los Angeles’ World Series runs in 2017 and in 2018, despite not being on the field much. Utley was left off of the 2018 playoff roster entirely.

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