Chase Utley Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Angels Near Completion Of Trade For Utley

Chase Utley trade rumors indicate the Los Angeles Angels are very close to a deal. The latest Utley trade chatter reveals that the Philadelphia Phillies and Angels are working hard to agree on terms. A report from MLB analyst Ken Rosenthal states that it includes deciding on a prospect, how much each team will pay of the remaining $6 million Utley is owed this season, and whether the former MVP candidate will waive his no-trade clause.

A report from Alden Gonzalez at MLB.com reveals that the Angels thought a deal would already be done, and that the front office in Los Angeles “hopes” that Utley decides to come to the team. He could certainly give the Angels more pop at the top of the lineup, especially if the resurgence he has had over the last month continues. Over his last six games, Utley has a.500 batting average (11-for-22) with an extremely impressive 1.160 OPS over that time.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, there are numerous Chase Utley trade rumors going around, including the San Francisco Giants pushing hard to acquire him. The reason that deal was held up was that the Giants couldn’t guarantee playing time for Utley. The team will have Joe Panik returning from the disabled list soon, with the hope that Utley could provide depth and roster insurance for the stretch run. That’s not the situation that Utley is seeking.

One of the items that may also hold up an Utley trade is that he will have a team option for a 2016 MLB contract worth between $5 million and $11 million. That amount will be based on how much time he spent on the disabled list and how many games he has been able to play the past two seasons. It had been guaranteed if Utley were to hit 500 plate appearances in the 2015 MLB season, but that won’t happen due to many missed games. Any team willing to pick up that option and guarantee the money could get an advantage in trade talks.

The Philadelphia Phillies are just about out of time when it comes to dealing an asset that has slowly declined in value over the past two MLB seasons. The team appears very close to sending him to a new franchise, even though it may come down to whether Utley decides to waive that no-trade clause. The Chase Utley trade rumors that have inundated MLB will come to an end before the August 31 deadline, with the Los Angeles Angels now in the driver’s seat.

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