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The Dodgers and Phillies have completed a trade that will send Chase Utley and cash considerations ($4 million) to Los Angeles in exchange for outfielder Darnell Sweeney and right-hander John Richy, as first reported by Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. and MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
Utley, 36, departs Philadelphia after spending the first thirteen years of his career with the Phillies, and will be reunited with longtime double play partner Jimmy Rollins, who was sent west in December. Utley joins Rollins, Marlon Byrd, Antonio Bastardo, Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon as significant veterans to be shipped out within the last year.
Utley has been the most frequently talked-about trade candidate this month, with the Cubs, Yankees, Angels and Giants also thought to be involved in talks. The Dodgers were always a strong fit due to Utley's desire to play for his hometown team (he is a Pasadena native and UCLA alum), and it appears that the will finish his season (and possibly his career) as a member of the Dodgers.
In 73 games so far this season, Utley has hit just .217/.284/.333 with five home runs, though he has been much better since returning from injury this month. He will sub in at second base for the Dodgers in place of the injured Howie Kendrick, though Kike Hernandez will likely see playing time as well.
Sweeney, 24, was the Dodgers' thirteenth-round pick in the 2012 draft and primarily plays center field despite having experience as a middle infielder. He has displayed above-average tools across the board and is regarded for his speed and offensive capabilities, recently being ranked by MLB.com as the 13th-best prospect in the Dodgers' system. He has hit .271/.332/.409 with nine homers and 32 stolen bases so far this season with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Richy, 23, was Los Angeles' third-round pick in last year's draft out of UNLV and has posted a 4.65 ERA in 124.1 innings of work for High-A Rancho Cucamonga this season. He is regarded for his control and four-pitch mix and projects to be a "durable end-of-the-rotation starter" by MLB.com, a site that ranked him as the 29th-best prospect in the Dodgers' system at the time of the deal.