With the Phillies suddenly playing meaningful games, Chase Utley may be forced to play some third base.

The Phillies are just four games out of the second Wild Card spot despite a horrible first half of the season.

Utley began taking groundballs at third base last month and has continued to do so. The Phillies lost Placido Polanco and then Kevin Frandsen at third. Now with Frandsen hobbled, Michael Martinez has made six straight starts there.

"I don't know," Ruben Amaro said when asked if Utley could move to third with the playoffs in sight. "He's only been out there two or three times now, but I think they're going to continue to work on it. Really, it's up to Chase in a lot of ways and I guess it's up to us to evaluate whether he can truly do it."