New York. Major League Baseball is in mourning following the passing of Phil Regan, former pitching coach for the New York Mets, who died this Wednesday at the age of 89, as reported by ESPN journalist Jeff Passan.
Known as “The Vulture”, Regan dedicated nearly seven decades to baseball, first as a pitcher and later as an instructor, manager, and scout, leaving an indelible mark on several Major League organizations.
His professional career began in 1956, when he signed with the Detroit Tigers. After four seasons in the minor leagues, he made his Major League debut and began a 15-season career in which he wore the uniforms of the Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox.
During his career as a pitcher, he recorded a record of 96 wins, 92 saves, and 743 strikeouts, in addition to being selected for an All-Star Game.
After retiring as a player, Regan began an extensive coaching career. He worked in college baseball before joining the Major Leagues as a scout for the Seattle Mariners and subsequently held various roles as a coach.
Within the Mets organization, he held the position of pitching coach for St. Lucie for four seasons and was also a minor league pitching coordinator.
In 2019, at age 82, he was promoted to the Mets’ big league team as interim pitching coach following the departure of Dave Eiland, becoming one of the oldest instructors to hold that position in the Major Leagues.
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Regan officially retired at the end of that season, putting an end to an exemplary career in professional baseball.
His legacy will remain as that of a man who dedicated his entire life to the development of the game, both from the mound and by training new generations of pitchers.
