"After each game, Charlie Manuel said he plans to sit down with his star second baseman and discuss playing time.

Chase Utley returned to the lineup Monday after missing all of spring training and nearly two months of the season because of patellar tendinitis, and Manuel aims to monitor his playing time closely.

But on Wednesday, there was no need for a discussion. Manuel already had Utley penciled in for a day off. Utley did, however, pinch hit in the ninth and was intentionally walked.

"I kind of knew after putting him out there the last two days that I was going to rest him," Manuel said.

After two days of work, Utley is actually feeling pretty good -- and his manager said he's looked spry enough in the infield that there haven't been many concerns about how well his knee is responding to the increased demands.

His bat, on the other hand, still has some catching up to do.

"He's moving fine," Manuel said. "I think he needs a little bit more time in the game for secondary stuff like breaking balls and changeups."

That's not surprising given that the entirety of Utley's rehab stint came with Class A Clearwater, where younger pitchers have a limited repertoire of effective secondary pitches.

But the good news is that there have been no setbacks, and while Manuel said routine rest will be the rule for the foreseeable future, he expects a time to come in which Utley won't need regular days off."