Second baseman Chase Utley made his final rehab appearance Tuesday night in Lehigh Valley before returning to the big club, and first baseman Ryan Howard is apparently next.

Howard will be in Philadelphia for "functional testing" on his Achilles tendon on Wednesday, according to a press release.

If those tests indicate his Achilles is strong enough, Howard will start his rehabilitation assignment Thursday with Class-A Lakewood.

It is difficult to predict how long the rehab assignment will be, but Howard could be back in the Phillies lineup soon after the All-Star break.

Howard, 32, hit .253 with 33 homers and 116 RBIs last season for the Phillies. He tore his Achilles tendon on the final play of the Phillies' final game of last season, a 1-0 postseason loss to the Cardinals that clinched that playoff series for St. Louis.

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