The art of breaking up a double play has been around the game of baseball from the start, but the Los Angeles Dodgers’ second baseman Chase Utley took it to a whole new level in a NLDS matchup against the New York Mets this past postseason.
His slide against Ruben Tejada earned him a two-game suspension from Major League Baseball. That suspension will be no more though, as reports indicate Utley won an appeal and the suspension has been lifted by MLB.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post had insight in the decision by Joe Torre, who is MLB’s Chief Baseball Officer.
Joe Torre, who officially metes out punishment for MLB, felt inconsistency in rule meant no suspension, but felt attention received (cont)
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 6, 2016
from Utley slide was key to spurring talks with union about revised rules for slides around 2b #Dodgers #Mets
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 6, 2016
Utley slid hard and seemingly intentionally at Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada during Game 2 of the NLDS matchup and Major League Baseball handed down a two-game suspension as a result of this play:
After seeing that play, Torre released a pretty definitive statement on the matter:
After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley’s action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his Club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a) (13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base.
It appears the reversal comes after the MLB Players Union and Utley were allowed to present their side of the case and the realization that the slide in question was not specifically outlawed until a rule change in late February of this year.
For his part, Utley defended the slide as just an attempt to break up a double play and was not meant with any malice or intention to hurt Tejada.
Utley returns to the Dodgers this year after one of his worst seasons of his career, hitting just .212 with eight home runs and 39 RBI’s. As a result he was signed to just a one-year, $7 million deal for the 2016 season.
