Dodgers News: Latest Interview with Chase Utley Brings Up Old Wounds from NLDS Slide
LOS ANGELES, CA—When the calendar flips to October this season, it’ll be the tenth anniversary of one of the most polarizing plays in Major League Baseball history.
On October 10th, 2015, during Game Two of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, Chase Utley, the former Philadelphia Phillies second baseman, would break up a double play in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring the tying run and injuring Mets shortsRubénubén Tejada in the process.
While Utley was initially ruled out, then Dodgers manager Don Mattingly would challenge the call. Upon review, it was confirmed that Tejada never touched second base, meaning Utley was safe and placed back on second.
Tejada was banged up hard on the slide and would not only be removed from the game but would miss the series with a broken leg.
During the broadcast and the days, weeks, and months that followed, the slide was thrown into controversy. The late slide by Utley was heavily debated among baseball fans, with some viewing it as a malicious attempt to injure Tejada. At the same time, some suggested it was the type of “old school” slide many players in Utley’s era were used to.
After the game, Utley was suspended by Major League Baseball for two games due to the play, a suspension that Utley would appeal and serve the following season.
The following season, Major League Baseball would implement a new rule deeming takeout slides, or a base runner deliberately making contact with a fielder, would now be deemed out.
Nearly ten years later, the play and its side effects are still felt today, and an interview between Utley and the Pardon My Take crew from Barstool Sports reopened old wounds.
Barstool’s offices are located in New York City, so naturally, many of their staff are either fans of the New York Yankees or the New York Mets.
So, Utley was asked about the play, whether he had any remorse, and if he attempted to apologize to Tejada.
“There was zero intention to F anybody up on that play,” Utley said. “I’ve always gone in hard, and that was no different. Obviously, the outcome was different than other slides that I’ve had. I didn’t anticipate actually hitting him nearly as hard as I did. I was anticipating him jumping up in the air because of the way it unfolded, and as you can imagine, it’s happening pretty quick. As he took the feed, I’m thinking, ‘OK, he’s going to hit the bag, get up off his feet, and try to throw it.’ I’m trying to slide a little bit with my body higher so I can clip a leg and get his throw off. But instead, he spun, which I was definitely not anticipating.”
Utley then stated he didn’t feel great about it all, shook out, going as far as to say he “felt terrible” about the situation.
“And looking back on it, I didn’t feel good about it,” Utley said. “I actually felt terrible about it. I had no intention of hurting him whatsoever.”
The six-time All-Star said he attempted to apologize to Tejada, who apparently wanted no part in that, which Utley said made total sense, given the severity of the injury.
“If I could go back in time and knowing the outcome that happened, of course I would’ve done it differently,” Utley said. “I would’ve realized that he’s not going to jump, he’s going to spin, and I could’ve disrupted his throw differently.”
Still, the Mets in the end got the final laugh during the series, beating the Dodgers in five games and advancing to the World Series, where they would fall to the Kansas City Royals.
However, Utley will forever be known as a Mets tormentor with a career .281/.374/.526 slash line, a .900 OPS, thirty-nine home runs, and 116 RBIs.
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