Phillies trade Utley to Dodgers for pair of prospects

Chase Utley is packing his bags for Tinseltown.

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired the veteran second baseman from the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers. The Phillies will also send $4 million in order to help cover the remaining $6 million owed to Utley.

Selected in the first round of the 2000 draft by the Phillies, Utley was the longest-serving current member of the rebuilding organization, and one of three remaining players from the 2008 World Series-winning club.

"I'm not necessarily an emotional guy," Utley said at a press conference to announce the deal Wednesday night. "But this city's meant a lot to me over the years. I think everyone knows my love and affection for the city. It was a very difficult decision for me and my family to go. It's not so much changing uniforms, it's about leaving this city, which has given so much to me over the 12 or 13 years I've been here."

Related: Utley graces cover of local newspaper after trade

The 36-year-old is expected to fill in at second base for the Dodgers in place of Howie Kendrick, who's sidelined with a hamstring injury. The move will reunite Utley with former middle-infield partner Jimmy Rollins, who played 12 seasons together in Philadelphia.

"I think it'd be a lot of fun," Rollins said of the acquisition. "He went to school at UCLA, plays well over at Dodger Stadium. Actually, beats up the Dodgers wearing a Phillies uniform. If everything goes through and he's here, it'd be nice to see him playing some home games there at a place he's comfortable hitting."

Though he's mired in the worst season of his 13-year career, Utley appears to have turned a corner this month, hitting .484/.485/.742 with one home run and five doubles in eight games. He is expected to join the Dodgers on Friday.

One of the prospects going back the other way is utility man Darnell Sweeney - the 13th-ranked prospect in the Dodgers' farm system. The other is right-hander John Richy, who is 10-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 22 games for High-A Rancho Cucamonga.