Phil Garner, Former Astros Manager, Dies at 76

Phil Garner, a three-time All-Star infielder and former Major League Baseball manager who led the Houston Astros to their first World Series appearance, died Saturday at age 76 after a more than two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Garners family announced his death in a statement Sunday, noting he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Diagnosed in February 2024, Garner underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments. His son, Ty, said in the statement, Phil never lost his signature spark of life he was so well known for, or his love for baseball, which was with him until the end. The family praised the medical care he received during his illness. On his 76th birthday earlier this year, the Astros invited Garner to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a game.

Born in Tennessee, Garner starred at the University of Tennessee, where the school retired his No. 18 jersey in 2009. He began his professional career with the Oakland Athletics in 1973 and played 16 seasons across five teams, including Oakland from 1973 to 1976, the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1977 to 1981, the Houston Astros from 1982 to 1987, the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1987 and the San Francisco Giants in...