Phil Garner, former MLB manager and 3-time All-Star, dies at 76
After stints as the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers, Garner led the Houston Astros to their first pennant in 2005.
Former MLB manager and player Phil Garner died Saturday after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, his family announced in a statement. He was 76. Garner, a longtime MLB infielder and three-time All-Star, pivoted to a 15-year career as a manager.
After stints with the Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers, Garner led the Houston Astros to their first pennant in 2005. Three-time All-Star and longtime MLB manager Phil Garner has died at age 76. Garner played 16 seasons in MLB and managed 15 more, leading the Astros to the NL pennant in 2005.
pic. twitter. com/Gz2LQkvroY — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 12, 2026 Before becoming a manager, Garner spent 16 years in the majors as a second and third baseman.
He started his playing career with the Oakland Athletics, earning his first All-Star nod in his fourth and final year with the team. Garner then played five years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he earned the nickname “Scrap Iron” for his tough demeanor. Garner played in 150 games in the 1979, when the Pirates won the World Series.