Phillies activate Utley

Second baseman Chase Utley was activated from the 15-day disabled list today, the Phillies announced. To make room for Utley on the 25-man roster, infielder Michael Martinez was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Utley, 33, began the 2012 season on the disabled list with bilateral chondromalacia. He appeared in nine games with single-A Clearwater as part of a rehabilitation assignment, batting .156 in 32 at-bats with one home run, five RBI, three walks and three runs scored.  He completed his rehab assignment last night with Lehigh Valley where he went 2-for-5 with a home run, RBI and run scored, playing all nine innings at second base.

Last season, Utley hit .259 with 21 doubles, 11 HR, 44 RBI and 54 runs scored in 103 games. With Utley in the lineup last season, the Phillies averaged 4.84 runs per game in which he appeared (499 R/103 G), compared to 3.6 runs a game in which he didn’t appear (214 R/59 G).

Martinez, 29, was batting .133 with a home run and four RBI in 16 games for the Phillies this year.