Second baseman Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies is out until at least August. Utley is scheduled for thumb surgery later today and could be out perhaps six weeks or more according to the USA Today.

In the meantime, the Phillies will need to come up with an infield replacement.

Matt Gelb of The Phildelphia Inquirer has suggested former Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Hank Blalock. Blalock was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that acquiring a third baseman, like Blalock, is an option since the team could move Placido Polanco at second base and acquire a player to play third. Rosenthal suggests someone like Miguel Tejada, Ty Wigginton, Adam Kennedy or Jhonny Peralta.

One name that shouldn’t be on the Phillies list is Pedro Feliz. One scout close to Rosenthal says Feliz’s bat speed is “gone”.