Phil Ervin

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Phillip S. Ervin
(Magic)

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Biographical Information[edit]

Outfielder Phil Ervin is known as Magic Ervin in tribute to basketball great Earvin "Magic" Johnson. He was selected by the Cincinnati Reds and scout Ben Jones in the first round of the 2013 amateur draft and soon signed for a $1.8 million bonus. He made his pro debut for the Billings Mustangs on June 20th, going 1-for-3 against the Great Falls Voyagers.

He reached the major leagues with the Reds early in the 2017 season, although he played just 28 games in the majors that year, hitting .259 with 3 homers and 10 RBIs. He saw more action in 2018 as the Reds showed flashes of being competitive after a terrible start; it was still a challenge to find playing time among a crowded outfield, although the departure of Adam Duvall at the trading deadline did open up some playing time for Phil. On September 7th, he had the first multiple-homer game of his career, connecting twice against the San Diego Padres in a 12-6 win. In 78 games, he hit .252 with 7 homers and 31 RBIs, with an OPS+ of 93.

On July 13, 2019, Ervin tied a Reds team record with 6 hits in a 17-9 win over the Colorado Rockies. He went 6-for-6 in a performance that started innocuously enough with an infield single that he barely beat out. He later had a double and triple, along with three more singles, and collected 3 RBIs. The last Reds player with 6 hits in a nine-inning game had been Walker Cooper, on July 6, 1949; two others had also done so before him. His triple was one of a team record 5 hit by the Reds in the game. He had again struggled to find playing time at the major league level that season, as this was just his 28th game and he had already shuffled four times between Cincinnati and the AAA Louisville Bats.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Bob Nightengale: "Phillip Ervin, Cincinnati Reds make history with offense in wild win over Colorado Rockies", USA Today, July 14, 2019. [1]

Related Sites[edit]

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