‘Red 4 Life’ Brandon Phillips to retire on 1-day contract, enter team’s hall of fame

Brandon Phillips is set to enter the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 25, as one of the most popular players in team history.

The second baseman didn’t play for the Big Red Machine, the 1970s juggernaut that won back-to-back world championships. In fact, he didn’t even play for a team that won a playoff series.

But Phillips’ megawatt smile, slick glove and clutch bat won over Reds fans from the moment he joined the franchise from Cleveland in a 2006 trade.

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To commemorate his induction, Phillips will sign a one-day contract with Cincinnati on Saturday and retire as a Red, per the team website. Phillips last played in a Reds game in 2016 and an MLB game in 2018.

Phillips shared the Reds’ post about his career and added his thoughts on X.

“Y’all know DAMN well Cincinnati is my HOME,” Phillips wrote. “I love the city, my teammates, especially the FANS. I can finally say, I’m a RED4LIFE!”

Phillips spent 11 seasons in a Reds uniform. He holds the franchise record for a second baseman with 1,174 hits, 311 doubles, 191 home runs and 851 RBIs. Phillips also won four Gold Gloves, made three All-Star appearances and won a Silver Slugger award as a Red.

Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, who played during the Big Red Machine era, is considered Cincinnati’s all-time best second baseman. He won the NL MVP in 1975 and 1976, two of the Reds’ five world title seasons.

But Phillips spent three more seasons as a Red, pushing him to the stats lead at the position.