No Dodger fan will argue that the impact that banished second baseman Chase Utley had in Game-2 of the NLDS was huge. After all, it was his base hit – a soft line drive to right field – that moved the eventual tying run to third base in the form of Kiké Hernandez. It was Utley’s first hit of the postseason in two pinch-hit at-bats, having struck out in his first.

Utley would subsequently score the go-ahead/winning run on Adrian Gonzalez’s two-run double which, of course, occurred after Utley’s hard takeout slide at second base that broke the right leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, causing a firestorm of controversy across the country (especially on the east coast) that reportedly even included one New York politician.

If Utley’s suspension is upheld, this could be the defining moment of the 2015 NLCS – Or is it?
(Photo credit – Sean Haffey)

Even though the umpires on the field ruled that Utley’s slide was legal and their initial call that he was forced out on the play was overturned after a video review, MLB’s Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre imposed a two-game suspension on Utley late Sunday night which, of course, is a huge deal with only two definite and three possible (if necessary) games remaining in the best-of-five series.

“After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley’s action warrants discipline,” said Torre in a written 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 fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base.”

Within minutes of Torre’s decision, Utley’s agent Joel Wolfe said that his client is appealing the suspension.

“A two-game suspension for a legal baseball play is outrageous and completely unacceptable,” Wolfe said, also in a written statement. “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.”

But regardless of the suspension, the statements, the appeal or even the eventual outcome, which is expected later this morning, the burning question is: If the suspension is upheld, what affect will it have on the Dodgers over the next two games?

From a statistical standpoint, most Dodger fans were absolutely amazed – shocked even – when Utley and his .202 batting average / .291 on-base percentage / .363 slugging percentage and meager .654 OPS was even included on the Dodgers postseason roster. While no one questions Utley’s valuable 13-year MLB veteran leadership or the fact that he is a World Series champion (2008), the painful truth of the matter is that he was… well… awful since joining the Dodgers on August 19. Granted, his defense prowess proved huge (and was the very reason for his acquisition) when the Dodgers lost everyday second baseman Howie Kendrick to the disabled list for a strained left hamstring on August 9, but he was 25 for 124 at the plate with nine doubles, one triple and three home runs and drove in nine runs in the 34 games in which he appeared with the Dodgers.

From an actual roster standpoint, the only real disadvantage to losing Utley to a two-game suspension would be if the Dodgers and Mets go into extra innings over the next two games; and with as closely matched as these two teams are – especially their starting rotations – this is certainly a distinct possibility. Additionally and for reasons that only he knows, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has twice gone to Utley as his first choice to pinch-hit when his starting pitchers’ spots were due up – this when he had fellow left-handers Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson (in Game-2) and switch-hitters Jimmy Rollins and Yasmani Grandal (in Game-1) and several right-handed hitters available off the bench. We all get the ‘he’s been there before mentality’ – but really? A guy who hit a combined .217 on the season with the Phillies and Dodgers? Again, the fact that Utley is even on the postseason roster is one of life’s greatest mysteries.

As noted, we will learn of Utley’s postseason fate within the next couple of hours, but even if the suspension is upheld (or reduced to one game), the Dodgers are honestly no worse off without him – except for an extra bat off the bench or a double-switch candidate in an extra-inning situation.