So this is what it has come to.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently clinging to a half-game lead over the Colorado Rockies in the National League West, and despite winning six of their last eight games, they still can't pull away from their division rivals.
That's because the Rockies have won their last six consecutive games, including three straight against the Philadelphia Phillies.
If the Dodgers want to win their sixth successive division title, they're going to need a little help. That's why one of the wives of a Dodger player reached out to the Philadelphia Phillies asking for exactly that.
Jennifer Utley, the wife of longtime Phillies second baseman, Chase Utley, posted a picture of a multitude of Phillies logos on her Instagram account on Wednesday afternoon, asking her husband's former team for help.
"Dear @Phillies,
Since you are no longer in the postseason race can you please throw @chaseutley a bone and beat the Rockies so he can go to the postseason one last time? Much appreciated xx Jen Utley #phillies #dodgers," Utley wrote in the caption of the post.
Unfortunately for Jen and Chase, it doesn't appear that the Phillies saw her post, or if they did, they certainly didn't put up much of a fight as they lost to the Rockies 14-0 on Wednesday, and have been outscored 34-4 thus far in the first three games of the four-game series.
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Philadelphia is 14-31, over their last 45 games, the worst record in the league.
Utley is seeking to make one final postseason run after he announced that the 2018 season would be his last as an active player, as he plans to retire at the end of the year in order to become a full-time Dad.
Utley made his MLB debut with the Phillies on April 4, 2003 and remained with the team until 2015 where he was traded to the Dodgers on August 19. In his 13 years in Philadelphia, Utley batted .282 with 233 home runs and 916 RBI in 1551 games.
Utley has reached the World Series three teams, winning a championship with the Phillies in 2008. In his prestigious career, Utley was a six-time All-Star and won four Silver Slugger Awards.
Utley was recently named the Dodgers recipient of the 13th annual Roy Campanella Award which is given to the Dodger player that best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.
Ironically, even if the Dodgers make the postseason, Utley might not make the 25-man postseason roster. Since being activated off the disabled list on Sept. 1, Utley is 0-for-17 at the plate, and has been primiarly used as a pinch-hitter amongst a very deep and talented Dodgers roster.
However, even if Utley doesn't make the postseason roster, he wil most certainly be a part of the team on the "taxi squad," traveling with the team on the road and in the dugout during home playoff games. There's also a possibility that if Utley doesn't make the roster, he could be added on to it during a later series should the team advance further in the playoffs.
Similarly, Joc Pederson and Charlie Culberson were both not on the 25-man NLDS roster last season, but both were added to the NLCS roster after injuries to Corey Seager and others. Both players played a pivotal role in the Dodgers advancing to their first World Series in nearly 30 years last season.
