CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Philadelphia Phillies were dealt their first bad news of the season on Sunday morning when Chase Utley revealed he's battling another bout of patellar tendinitis in his right knee.

A MRI on Saturday did not reveal any further damage for the Phillies second baseman and he said he'll treat it right now with basic rehab and rest. Utley will not play in today's game against the New York Yankees and did not have a target return date. He characterized his current status as "day-to-day" and said problems with his knee are nothing new.

"(The pain) comes and goes, right now it's not going as fast as I wish it would," Utley said on one of the back fields at Bright House Field. "I think at this point it's better to be safe than sorry. I'd rather miss some games down here than later in the season."

It doesn't seem like there's reason for mass panic in the streets of Phillies Nation just yet and there's hope to be gained from Utley saying he does not currently feel the pain while swinging — only while playing the field. GM Ruben Amaro expressed concern that Utley's usual (and admirable) M.O. to go full speed ahead while playing could worsen the injury, which is why they're agreeing to pull back a little in the early days of spring.

Asked if he'd have played through the pain in the past without telling anyone, Utley simply smiled and issued a one-word answer: "Yes."


Still, it goes without saying a Phillies team that struggled with injuries to many of its key stars last season would have preferred to not hear this news. The 32-year-old Utley spent 49 days on the DL with an injured thumb in 2010 and the Phils are counting on him returning to his usual lofty numbers to help key the offense. And with the majority of the team's lineup on the wrong side of 30, the less news about aches-and-pains — no matter how seemingly routine — the better.

'Duk is in the Grapefruit League this week as part of Big League Stew's Spring Swing. Follow along on his journey through Florida on Facebook and Twitter