New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Chase Utley a Waiver Wire Trade Target?

Not sold on Stephen Drew yet?

Me neither, and apparently neither is Brian Cashman.

According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the New York Yankees might just be interested in trading for veteran second baseman and longtime Philadelphia Phillie Chase Utley:

"“One industry insider pegged the Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees as the teams most likely to pursue Utley before the end of the month, during the period when a player can be traded if he passes through waivers unclaimed (or to the team that claims him).”"

Martino’s report also indicated that scouts were in attendance for Utley’s rehab assignment in Reading, Pennsylvania on Wednesday night, where he looked ‘just fine.’ However, the 36-year old is undoubtedly in the decline of his career, and the question now becomes would Utley actually be an upgrade over Stephen Drew?

Utley’s numbers this year are downright ugly. He is averaging .174 with four home runs and 25 RBI in just 65 games. Compare this to Drew’s .196 batting average with 13 homers and 32 RBI through 92 games, and it doesn’t seem as if Utley is an upgrade over the struggling Stephen Drew at all.

Perhaps one area in which Utley is indeed an upgrade over Drew is post-season success. In 46 career playoff games, Utley has a postseason slash line of .262/.402/.500 with a .902 OPS. Stephen Drew on the other hand owns a .212/.245/.365 career post-season slash line with a .611 ERA through 28 career playoff games.

Even so, I still don’t see how pursuing Chase Utley makes much sense for the Yankees at all. Perhaps they’re looking to platoon Utley and Drew at second base, and use Chase Utley against right-handed pitchers down the stretch?

Who know’s, but I guess for now we’ll just have to wait and see.

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