Former Phillies infielder Tony Taylor dies at 84 - MLB

Longtime Phillies infielder Tony Taylor died on Thursday morning at the age of 84 due to complications following a stroke suffered in 2019, the club announced.

Taylor played 19 seasons in the majors from 1958-76, 15 of them with the Phillies. He was one of the most popular players in Philadelphia, even though he wouldn’t reach the postseason with the Phillies until his final year with the team in 1976.

The Phillies originally acquired Taylor from the Cubs in May 1960 along with Cal Neeman, sending Ed Bouchee and Don Cardwell to Chicago. Taylor was traded from the Phillies to the Tigers in June 1971 for a pair of minor leaguers. The Tigers released him in the offseason after the 1973 season and he re-signed for a second stint with the Phillies.

Across his 19 years in the big leagues, Taylor hit .261/.321/.352 with 298 doubles, 75 home runs, 598 RBI, 1,005 runs scored, and 234 stolen bases. He was also well-regarded for his defense. Taylor was a two-time All-Star, making it twice in 1960, during the brief period MLB played two All-Star Games in the same season.

Taylor was inducted into the Phillies’ Wall of Fame in 2002. A native of Cuba, Taylor was also inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2004.

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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.