The Phillies announced today that an MRI over the weekend revealed that Chase Utley has been suffering from patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Utley had been held out of the first three spring training games for what the team had been calling "soreness." Speaking to reporters today, Utley downplayed the injury.
↵"I’ve had it before from time to time," Utley said. "It comes and goes. Right now it’s not going as fast as I wish it would. I think it’s a day-to-day thing. At this point of the spring, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’d rather miss some games down here than miss some in the season. I’m trying to look at things in the big picture. Hopefully we’ll play 200 more games this year."
↵Utley will continue to take batting practice, but will refrain from hitting or running to give his knee a rest for the next few days. He did say that if it were the regular season, he probably would simply be playing through it... but given that it's spring training there's no reason not to give it a rest.
↵The Phillies to a man are certainly acting as if the tendinitis is no big deal. It remains to be seen whether that's actually the case. I have no doubt everyone will be paying close attention to Utley's right knee as the spring rolls on.
↵