Carlos Beltran didn’t hold back when the subject turned to Chase Utley.
Beltran, who spent 20 years leaving his stamp on the game before being inducted into the Hall of Fame in January, said he has never been a fan of the former Phillies second baseman’s style. Speaking to SNY Mets, Beltran called Utley a dirty player and drew a clear line between playing with edge and crossing it.
Carlos Beltrán is "not a big fan" of Chase Utley:
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 28, 2026
"In the game of baseball, you can play hard. But when you play dirty, it's a different element." pic.twitter.com/wqvLmeVm2g
“In the game of baseball, you can play hard,” Beltran said. “But when you play dirty, it's a different element.”
Utley’s reputation for aggression followed him throughout his career, and one play in particular helped cement it. In Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS, he slid late into Mets shortstop Rubén Tejada while trying to break up a double play. Tejada suffered a fractured leg on the play, and Utley drew heavy criticism, with some accusing him of intentionally making contact with Tejada instead of going directly for second base.
That moment ultimately led to the creation of the so-called “Chase Utley Rule.” The rule is meant to protect middle infielders from dangerous slides, and it requires the slider to make contact with the ground before reaching the base.
Beltran and Utley later crossed paths again in the 2017 World Series, when Beltran’s Astros met Utley’s Dodgers. Houston won the series in seven games, giving Beltran the only World Series title of his career.
Utley played in MLB from 2003 to 2018. When Beltran went into the Hall of Fame, Utley had received 59.1% of the vote in his third year of eligibility.
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