Angels center fielder Brett Phillips (8) places a samurai warrior hat on right fielder Hunter Renfroe (12) as Renfroe reaches the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals in the fourth inning at Angel Stadium on April 22, 2023. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former Angels Outfielder Announces Immediate Retirement from MLB

Originally posted on Los Angeles Angels on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 11:59 AM ET

Brett Phillips was never a star in Major League Baseball. But he persevered for parts of seven major league seasons on the strength of his outfield glove, fleet feet, and outstanding reputation as a teammate.

Phillips, 31, announced his immediate retirement from baseball on Sunday on social media — more than two years after his final MLB at-bat with the Angels.

"The time has come after 13 seasons of playing professional baseball to hang the cleats up," Phillips said in a video posted to his Instagram account.

To my teammates, as I look back on my career I can say with certainty that you all made my time in professional baseball the most fun and I appreciate each and every one of you for how you treated and welcomed me into this game, thank you! pic.twitter.com/g7yUCgWofk
— Maverick Phillips (@Brett_Phillips8) October 6, 2025

Phillips retires with a a .187 batting average in 397 games with the Milwaukee Brewers (2017-18), Kansas City Royals (2018-20), Tampa Bay Rays (2020-22), Baltimore Orioles (2022) and Angels (2023).

Phillips signed with the Angels on Jan. 9, 2023, made the Opening Day roster as a fourth outfielder, and was designated for assignment in May of that year. It didn't help Phillips' cause in Anaheim that he was hitless through his first 14 games as an Angel, going 0-for-7 to start the season.

Phillips remained in the Angels' organization after the DFA. He was promoted from Triple-A Salt Lake in September, and went 10-for-50 (.200) to finish the season.

Although he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox to begin the 2024 campaign, he would never appear in a major league game again.

Gifted with a strong outfield arm, Phillips attempted to convert to pitching after he was released by the White Sox's Triple-A affiliate in May 2024. He got a look from the New York Yankees and was assigned to their Class-A affiliate to try his hand at pitching.

The experiment didn't last long. Phillips faced five batters in his only pitching appearance for the Class-A Tampa Tarpons. He walked one batter, hit two, and allowed two hits without recording an out.

Phillips elected free agency after the 2024 season, and never got another chance to pitch for affiliated baseball team. He signed with the independent Kane County Cougars in 2025 and made only four appearances. In three innings, he allowed 11 runs (33.00 ERA).

Phillips retires with a a .187 batting average, .272 on-base percentage, and .347 slugging percentage (.619 OPS) in a career spanning 397 games.

Originally a sixth-round draft pick by the Houston Astros in 2012, Phillips enjoyed a journeyman MLB career with the Milwaukee Brewers (2017-18), Kansas City Royals (2018-20), Tampa Bay Rays (2020-22), Baltimore Orioles (2022) and Angels (2023).

Phillips' walk-off single in Game 4 of the 2020 World Series drove in two runs, erasing the Rays' 7-6 deficit against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a wild game-ending sequence.