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Phil Regan, legendary MLB pitching coach and ex-Orioles manager, dies at 89
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- Phil Regan, legendary MLB pitching coach and ex-Orioles manager, dies at 89
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Former Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and longtime pitching coach Phil Regan, widely renowned by the nickname "The Vulture," died on Wednesday at the age of 89 . Regan spent more than six decades in professional baseball, building a career that included 13 Major League seasons as a pitcher, a managerial stint with the Baltimore Orioles , and nearly five decades in coaching and scouting.
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A right-handed pitcher, Regan debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1960 and won at least 10 games in three of his first six major league seasons. Before the 1966 season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers , where he enjoyed the finest year of his playing career. Regan finished 1966 with a 14-1 record, a 1.62 ERA, and a National League-leading 21 saves in 65 relief appearances. His performance earned him an All-Star selection, National League Reliever of the Year honors, and the NL Comeback Player of the Year award. Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax gave him the nickname "The Vulture" because of his ability to collect wins in relief.
Early in the 1968 season, the Chicago Cubs acquired Regan in a trade, and he again led the majors with 25 saves. His final MLB season came in 1972, split between the Cubs and the Chicago White Sox . Across 13 major league seasons with the Tigers, Dodgers, Cubs and White Sox, Regan compiled a 96-81 record, a 3.84 ERA, 92 saves and 551 appearances, including 105 starts.
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Following his playing career, Regan remained in baseball for 47 years as a coach, scout and instructor. He managed the Orioles during the strike-shortened 1995 season, posting a 71-73 record. He also served as pitching coach with the Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians/Guardians (twice), the Cubs and the New York Mets , later working as the Mets' assistant pitching coordinator before returning as interim pitching coach in 2019. After retiring in 2019, he filed a lawsuit against the Mets in 2023, alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination.
Regan also won a gold medal as a pitching coach at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
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