Phillips homers for 8-year-old cancer patient
April 14, 2022 - Just before Tuesday night’s Rays game at Tropicana Field, a young fan handed her favorite player a bracelet that read “Rally for Chloe our Princess Warrior.” Tampa Bay outfielder and Seminole-native Brett Phillips put it on his left wrist and promised to try and do something special for Chloe Grimes, battling cancer for the second time at just 8 years old. The fan-favorite delivered. In the third inning, while Chloe and her mother, Jacquie, were interviewed by the in-game reporter, Phillips crushed a pitch from Oakland A’s pitcher Jacob Lemoine over the right-field wall for a solo home run. With an exit velocity of 107.8, it was the hardest-hit ball in Phillips’ career. Stadium personnel retrieved the ball from the c-ring catwalk at the ‘Trop, and Phillips later autographed it and presented it to Chloe. Phillips also tweeted that he and the Rays charitable foundation would help with medical bills and a few extra gifts. The Rays went on to beat the A’s 9-8 in extra innings.