Utley isn't expected to return until the September stretch drive, or longer than the Phillies had hoped.
"Yeah, this hurts," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said Thursday.
The operation was performed Thursday in New York, three days after one of the majors' best all-around infielders was injured trying to stretch a single into a double. He was put on the disabled list Tuesday with a sprained ligament, and doctors later determined part of the ligament was detached from a bone.
"They reattached that -- I would call that severe," Phillies athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said.
The 31-year-old Utley must wear a splint on the thumb for five weeks before he begins rehabilitation. Utley and the Phillies will get a better idea exactly how long he will be sidelined once the stitches are removed from the thumb.
"Can we get through it? Yeah, we can get through it," Manuel said. "I'm going to put it to you like this: We're going to get through it. I look at our team and what I preach is we've got to play. I don't give a damn who we play with, we've got to come here to win."
The Phillies also will be without third baseman Placido Polanco for about a month with an inflamed left elbow, although of the two doctors who examined him determined surgery was necessary. Polanco has been bothered by the injury since April 21, and the team determined a lengthy shutdown was needed for the injury to heal.
"He's had rest in the past, and obviously it wasn't enough," Sheridan said.
Now the NL east will go down to the wire
"Yeah, this hurts," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said Thursday.
The operation was performed Thursday in New York, three days after one of the majors' best all-around infielders was injured trying to stretch a single into a double. He was put on the disabled list Tuesday with a sprained ligament, and doctors later determined part of the ligament was detached from a bone.
"They reattached that -- I would call that severe," Phillies athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said.
The 31-year-old Utley must wear a splint on the thumb for five weeks before he begins rehabilitation. Utley and the Phillies will get a better idea exactly how long he will be sidelined once the stitches are removed from the thumb.
"Can we get through it? Yeah, we can get through it," Manuel said. "I'm going to put it to you like this: We're going to get through it. I look at our team and what I preach is we've got to play. I don't give a damn who we play with, we've got to come here to win."
The Phillies also will be without third baseman Placido Polanco for about a month with an inflamed left elbow, although of the two doctors who examined him determined surgery was necessary. Polanco has been bothered by the injury since April 21, and the team determined a lengthy shutdown was needed for the injury to heal.
"He's had rest in the past, and obviously it wasn't enough," Sheridan said.
Now the NL east will go down to the wire
