By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
While the Los Angeles Dodgers don't seem likely to bring former Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz back in 2017, the door remains open for his former teammate Chase Utley.
In his first full season with the Dodgers, Utley hit .252 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs. Certainly those aren't peak Utley numbers, but they would seem to be enough to warrant there being interest in him for 2017, a year in which he has previously suggested that he would like to play in.
According to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball, Utley returning to the Dodgers in 2017 isn't a lock, but the Dodgers will consider attempting to re-sign the six-time All-Star:
"The Dodgers noticed that Chase Utley wore down, but they like him on the team. So they could still consider a return for him. Though the presence of Howie Kendrick makes that less than a necessity."
While Kendrick moved to left field this season, second base is still his natural position and the 33-year-old is set to make $10 million in 2017. That will factor into the team's decision with Utley.
Utley, who will turn 38 in December, made $7 million in 2017 and can become a free-agent this off-season if the Dodgers choose not to re-sign him. It's unclear exactly what his market would be in free-agency, though he showed the ability to play multiple infield positions in 2017 and remains one of the game's most respected players, so assuming he wants to continue playing if the Dodgers don't retain him, there should be enough interested teams.
It is possible that Utley, who is from Pasedena and went to UCLA, won't be interested in moving away from the West Coast to continue his career if the Dodgers go in another direction. That wouldn't eliminate potential suitors, though it would certainly limit his opportunities.
