The Phillies are getting a little bit closer to full-strength as Ryan Howard and Chase Utley continue to improve. Howard can jump rope a bit and has been playing catch and fielding grounders. The surgical wound where his Achilles was repaired and also became infected is improving as well. "He saw Dr. Myerson [Tuesday] and his Achilles is doing great. His strength is increasing and the wound is improved. That's the priority right now -- getting the wound healed," Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We're going to talk with the wound specialist at Jefferson and the folks who have been treating it and we'll know more about how it's doing and what his next progressions are." Meanwhile, Utley is making progress in his rehab in Arizona. Utley left the team to continue his recovery from chondromalacia in his knee with his physical therapist in Arizona. He is expected to hook up with the team when they begin an 11-game road trip on Monday. "His strength is better, he's becoming more stable and he's progressing and we'll know more about it when we see him on the West Coast," Amaro said of Utley.