Phil Garner, a three-time baseball All-Star, passed away at the age of 76 in The Woodlands, Texas, on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
Garner, a three-time All-Star infielder, managed the Astros to their first World Series appearance.
Garner had been battling pancreatic cancer for more than two years, according to his son Ty, in a statement released by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“Phil never lost his characteristic spark of life. He was well known for his love of baseball, which stayed with him until the end,” said Garner’s son Ty.
Phil Garner gave baseball 16 years of his career playing for the Oakland Athletics (1973-76), then moved on to the Pittsburgh Pirates (1977-81), the Astros (1981-87), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1987) and the San Francisco Giants (1988).
Pirates president Bob Nutting paid tribute to Garner, saying, “Phil Garner was a fierce competitor, a respected leader and a beloved part of the Pirates family.”
“His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will always be a part of Pirates history. We always appreciated welcoming Phil to Pittsburgh, and it was evident how deeply this city, this team, his teammates and our fans meant to him,” Nutting added.
Garner was an All-Star with Oakland in 1976 and Pittsburgh in 1980 and 1981.
As a player, he made appearances in 150 games and had an .800 OPS for Pittsburgh during the Pirates’ 1979 World Series championship season.
He hit .417 in the Reds’ sweep of the National League Championship Series and hit .500 in the World Series, helping the Pirates overcome a 3-1 hole to beat the Orioles.
Garner spent a decade and a half managing in the Major Leagues, posting a 985-1,054 record with the Milwaukee Brewers (1992-99), Detroit Tigers (2000-02) and Astros (2004-07).
He held the Brewers’ franchise record for most managerial wins until Craig Counsell surpassed it in 2002.
