Former Phillies Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley find themselves together in a familiar situation: they are both play0ff-bound. After trades to the Dodgers, Rollins in the 2015 offseason and Utley in August, the Phillies accumulated a few nice prospects toward the team's rebuild. The Dodgers got two veteran players that would help a playoff-bound team. But, as the playoffs near, it is unclear how much both will play.
Rollins spent most of the 2015 season as the Dodgers' starting shortstop. Going into 2015, the expectation was that Rollins' tenure in Los Angeles would be short, given that the Dodgers top prospect, Corey Seager, would be ready to take over the shortstop position soon. Combining Rollins' weak bat and Seager's strong one, that day has come.
As early as mid-September, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly stated that Rollins was not going to lose his job in a Mike Axisa piece on CBS Sports:
“At this moment, we don't have any plans. When Jimmy gets back, we plan on playing Jimmy,” Mattingly said.
“I don't know what the chatter is or if there is chatter about Corey and that position or whatever. He's going to be really good, and he is really good. At this point, with where we're at and what's going on, we don't plan to change,” Mattingly said. “(President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi) haven't come to me and said, 'You've got to get him in there every day.
But, Seager's bat was just too hot to keep out of the line. Seager batted .337 in 98 regular season at bats for the Dodgers, with four home runs and 17 runs batted in. Rollins batted just .224.
Rollins was the starting shortstop for much of the season and his glove was still very steady for a starting shortstop. Rollins made nine errors, just under his average over his career. While on the bench, Rollins managed the team's regular season finale.
As for Utley, when he joined the Dodgers he knew that the second base position was open only temporarily. Howie Kendrick was out with an injury and Utley jumped right in at second base. However, Kendrick returned and Utley found himself on the Dodgers bench, as expected. Utley did what he could to get into the Dodgers lineup.
Despite never playing the position for the Phillies, minus one season at AAA and a few Spring Training practices, Utley played some third base for the Dodgers:
Utley started three errorless games at third base for the Dodgers, with two starts at first base and 25 at second base.
With Adrian Gonzalez at first base, Kendrick at second base, and Justin Turner at third base, there is nowhere for Utley to start in the playoffs.
Rollins may find himself the team's right-handed pinch-hitter and Utley the team's left-handed pinch hitter. Should the team hit the World Series Utley could end up as the team's designated hitter, but that is a ways away. Phillies fans probably can count on one thing if they tune into the playoffs: they will not see much of Rollins or Utley.
