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Injuries

Dodgers' Chase Utley suspended for illegal slide, will appeal

USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley has been suspended for Games 3 and 4 as a result of his slide into second base in the National League Division Series against the New York Mets.

Utley has appealed the suspension and, in a rare bit of expedience, his appeal will be heard Monday, according to a person familiar with the suspension who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity.

The person said a ruling on Utley's appeal could be in by game time.

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In Game 2 of the NLDS, Utley slid hard into second base to break up a double play and collided with Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, who broke his right fibula.

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Oct 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada (11) collides with Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley (26) at second base during the seventh inning in game two of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

"After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley's action warrants discipline," MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre said in a statement. "While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a)(13), which is designed to protect from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base."

Meanwhile, Utley responded in kind, releasing a statement through his agent, Joel Wolfe, to multiple media outlets.

“A two game suspension for a legal baseball play is outrageous and completely unacceptable," the statement read. "Chase did what all players are taught to do
in this situation -- break up the double play. We routinely see plays at second base similar to this one that have not resulted in suspensions. Chase feels terrible about Ruben Tejada’s injury and everyone who knows him knows that he would never intentionally hurt anybody. We will be appealing this
suspension immediately.”

After the suspension was announced, Torre appeared on Fox Sports' broadcast of the Texas-Toronto AL Division Series game from Arlington and said Utley's slide went beyond normal aggressive play.

"It was really based on the fact that he slid very late and he hit Tejada and the ground at the same time," Torre said. "When you're targeting the player...He certainly didn't want to hurt him. He was just trying to break up a double play. I thought this was a bit much."

Certainly, Utley's appeal will be grounded in the fact players have avoided suspensions for similar - or even more malicious - slides. Torre sounds intent on establishing a new precedent, even as MLB and the union hammer out rule modifications to protect middle infielders.

"I can't worry about what's happened in the past," he said of Utley's appeal. "I just based it on what I say and that we're trying to have rules that are going to keep these players on the field. It's unfortunate; Chase Utley is a great player.

"He's always played hard. This just happened to have a bad result."

The series is tied 1-1 with Games 3 and 4 in New York.

Contributing: Bob Nightengale

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