Phil Garner, the three-time All-Star infielder who managed the Houston Astros to their first World Series appearance, has died at age 76 after a two-plus-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Garner's son Ty confirmed his father's passing, noting "Phil never lost his signature spark of life" until the end. The Tennessee native leaves behind a legacy that transformed multiple franchises during his 31-year baseball career spanning playing and managing.

Garner earned the nickname "Scrap Iron" for his blue-collar approach, posting a .260 career average with 109 home runs and 738 RBIs across 1,860 games. His finest playing moment came during the 1979 World Series championship with Pittsburgh, when he batted .417 in the NLCS and .500 in the World Series as the Pirates rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Baltimore.

As a manager, Garner compiled a 985-1,054 record over 15 seasons with Milwaukee, Detroit, and Houston. He took over the Astros in 2004 and led them to the World Series in 2005, their first appearance in franchise history. Though Chicago swept that series, the achievement marked the pinnacle of Garner's managerial career, cementing his place in baseball history.