Los Angeles Dodgers and Mets nemesis, Chase Utley will not serve his 2-game suspension that was handed down by Major League Baseball, after his takeout slide into Ruben Tejada last postseason. Utley had been appealing the suspension and a decision was announced today to drop Utley’s suspension. According to Joel Sherman, the suspension had been dropped weeks ago but was finally announced today. Sherman also stated that  Joe Torre believed there were too many inconsistencies with the rule last season therefore it didn’t warrant a suspension. However with all of the attention brought on by the slide, new rules have been implemented this season, and I believe Major League Baseball will take a stronger stance on player safety in regards to slides into second base. With Utley in the clear, he will be available the first day of the 2016 regular season for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ruben Tejada doesn’t seem to care about Utley or his suspension being upheld today. “I don’t care really,” Tejada stated. “I don’t care. I care about me. I’m healthy here. I’m happy here. So I don’t care about what’s going to happen there or what’s the decision they take there.” Tejada has even gone on the record that he has not heard directly from Utley since the injury.

It is a disappointing development for the Mets and Mets fans, and it’s hard to believe Utley will get off with a slap on the wrist for a devastating hard slide that cost Tejada the rest of  postseason. This isn’t the first run-in Utley has had with dirty slides into Mets players either. Justice being served by the Mets is a foregone conclusion when Utley faces the Mets either in Los Angeles May 9th-12th, or in New York May 27th-29th. Utley even noted he expects revenge when holding a conversation while playing golf with Mets pitcher Eric Goeddel, and his brother a Phillies player Tyler Goeddel. Utley was quoted as saying to Eric, “Just don’t peg me in the head.” Utley knows very well he’s a Mets target, and those two series in May against the Dodgers will be interesting and entertaining games to watch nonetheless.