Phil Regan, a former Major League Baseball pitcher and longtime pitching coach, died Wednesday at the age of 89, his attorney, Matt Blit, told ESPN.
Regan pitched for 13 seasons in MLB, debuting in 1960 and retiring after the 1972 season. He played for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox. During his playing career, he earned the nickname "The Vulture" for his ability to enter games late as a reliever and secure wins.
He made his sole All-Star appearance in 1966 with the Dodgers, recording 21 saves and posting a 14-1 record with a 1.62 ERA over 65 appearances. Regan finished his playing career with a 96-81 record, a 3.84 ERA, and 92 saves in 551 games.
Following his playing career, Regan transitioned into coaching. He managed the Baltimore Orioles for one season in 1995 and served as a pitching coach for several organizations, including the Seattle Mariners, Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets. His last major league coaching role was as interim pitching coach for the Mets in 2019 at the age of 82.
Before his final stint with the Mets, Regan worked within their minor league system from 2009 to 2015, including as pitching coach for Single-A Port St. Lucie. He was credited with playing a role in the development of several young pitchers for the Mets during that period, such as Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, and Zack Wheeler.
In 2023, Regan filed a lawsuit against the Mets, alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination. The suit claimed that former general manager Brodie Van Wagenen told Regan he would not be retained after the 2019 season because he was "too old."