Baseball mourns death of Phil Regan, a legend in Venezuela and MLB

Baseball is mourning the loss of Phil Regan, a respected figure in Major League Baseball and Caribbean circuits, who died Wednesday at the age of 89. His attorney confirmed his passing to ESPN.

Regan's career spanned seven decades, during which he was known as a player and, more prominently, as a manager. In Venezuela, he managed for 18 seasons, a record for the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP). He led teams including Leones del Caracas, Navegantes del Magallanes, Tiburones de La Guaira, Cardenales de Lara, Pastora de los Llanos, and Bravos de Margarita. He achieved championships with both Leones del Caracas and Navegantes del Magallanes, a feat unique to him in the league, and is particularly remembered for his seven seasons with Leones, guiding them to three finals.

Before his significant impact in Venezuelan baseball, Regan also found success in the Caribbean Series, winning in 1988 with Leones del Escogido. More recently, he maintained ties to Dominican baseball as a pitching coach for Toros del Este.

As a player, Regan pitched in MLB for 13 seasons from 1960 to 1972, primarily as a late-inning reliever. His MLB career included stints with the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers (where he was an All-Star), Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox. He retired with a 3.84 ERA in 551 games, a 96-81 record, 92 saves, and 743 strikeouts. He later returned to MLB as a pitching coach for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. He also managed the Baltimore Orioles for one season in 1995, posting a 71-73 record.

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Longtime pitching coach Phil Regan, whose career in baseball spanned seven decades, died today, his attorney, Matt Blit, told ESPN. Regan was 89.