Local kid Brett Phillips, famous for activating Airplane Mode during the 2020 World Series after winning Game 4 for the Rays, has announced his retirement on social media after seven memorable seasons in the majors. The 31-year-old Seminole High graduate, who became a cult hero in St. Petersburg for his boundless energy and clutch performances, reflected on a career that spanned the Brewers, Royals, Rays, Orioles, and Angels — as well as the Astros and White Sox organizations, and a last ditch effort to convert his arm in the Yankees pitching lab — with a white board behind him naming dozens of coaches and executives.
Over parts of three seasons in Tampa Bay (2020-2022), Phillips appeared in 211 games, posting a 78 wRC+ with 19 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He wasn’t just a part time contributor; he was the guy who sprinted to the outfield with childlike enthusiasm and high-fived kids in the stands. He was loud even in quieter moments, like his brief stints as a pitcher in mop-up duty, where Phillips embodied the Rays’ ethos of versatility and entertainment.
No chapter of Phillips’ Rays story, however, captures the bittersweet magic of his time in Tampa Bay quite like the July 30, 2022, “Brett Phillips Devil Rays Basketball Jersey Giveaway” at Tropicana Field.
The promotion, presented by Crown Automotive Group, was a whimsical nod to the original Tampa Bay Devil Rays era, reimagined through Phillips’ lens as a hoops-inspired throwback. Inspired by throwback photos of Phillips as a 4-year-old fan who wore a sleeveless Devil Rays jersey everywhere he went, the Rays distributed custom basketball jerseys emblazoned with Phillips’ No. 35 and the Devil Rays’ iconic rainbow logo.
The event transcended a simple swag drop. The near-sellout crowd of 22,756 showed up loud, and Phillips hosted an autograph session postgame at Gate 6, where the line of adoring fans snaked around the entire ballpark, a testament to the deep affection he had cultivated in just two short years.
Yet, in a twist that still stings for many Rays faithful, the glow of that jersey giveaway faded faster than anyone anticipated. Just two days later, on August 1, 2022, the Rays designated Phillips for assignment to make room for the recently acquired Jose Siri, ending his time in Tampa Bay over the likes of Yu Chang or Roman Quinn; the Baltimore Orioles would claim Phillips off of waivers on August 2.
The timing—coming on the heels of such a personalized celebration—left both a lingering ache and skepticism. Phillips handled it with characteristic grace, later reflecting that the DFA was an “easy decision,” but the episode underscored the cold calculus of Rays baseball.
In retirement, Phillips leaves behind a legacy far richer than his box-score numbers suggest, outside the one that mattered most.
He was the everyman hero who reminded Rays fans that baseball’s greatest thrills often come from the unlikeliest sources, and sometimes even from your own back yard. As he steps away to pursue whatever comes next — perhaps another television gig? — may he never lose his place in the Rays pantheon.
If you’d like to support Phillips further, his Baseball is fun clothing line is pumping out swag as strong as ever.
