General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. made waves a few weeks ago by saying Chase Utley, one of the most popular Phillies in franchise history, would essentially be the backup at second base after he returns from ankle inflammation, which has sidelined him for over a month now.
Utley's struggles — he's hitting .179 through 65 games with just four home runs — and the emergence of a younger Cesar Hernandez, who was hitting .271 heading into the weekend series with the Cubs and needs a longer look to determine whether he becomes part of the team's future plans, both factored into the decision for the rest of this season.