The 1972 Philadelphia Phillies season saw the team finish with a record of 59–97, last place in the National League East.

Offseason

The Phils made perhaps one of the most significant trades in their history on February 25, when they traded Rick Wise to the St. Louis Cardinals for Steve Carlton. Both teams were engaged in difficult contract negotiations with each pitcher. Carlton went on to win four Cy Young Awards with the Phillies, and Wise continued a solid career. Carlton won his first Cy Young Award on the 1972 Phillies who won only 59 games. Carlton was 27–10 and the team was 30–85 when Carlton did not pitch. No pitcher in the twentieth century has won as high a proportion of his team's victories (45.8%). Carlton also led the N.L. in ERA (1.97), strikeouts (310), and innings pitched (346.1).

Notable transactions

Regular season

During the season, Steve Carlton became the last pitcher to win at least 25 games in one season for the Phillies in the 20th century. On July 10, manager Frank Lucchesi was fired with the team at 26–50. Paul Owens, who had been promoted from farm director to GM a month earlier, became manager as well. The Padres came close to a no-hitter against the Phillies on July 18, 1972; Steve Arlin came within one out before a ninth-inning two-out single by Denny Doyle broke up the bid. The Phillies had hosted the 1952 All-Star Game, played July 9, 1952 at Shibe Park. The American League won 3 to 2 in five innings; the first rain shortened All-Star Game. The Phillies held their promotional Old-Timers Game on August 19, 1972. The Phillies invited all of the players from the 1952 game back to Philadelphia to complete the last four innings prior to the regular game with the Houston Astros. The Old-Timers began in the "sixth inning" with the Veterans Stadium scoreboard showing the National League ahead 3–2 after five innings. Bobby Thomson, Enos Slaughter, Pee Wee Reese, Gran Hamner, and Robin Roberts played for the National League Old-Timers. Shantz pitched the first inning of the exhibition for the American League, which appeared as the sixth inning on the scoreboard. Shantz yielded five runs, while the American League scored only a run to "complete" the game, with the National League widening their margin of victory to 8-3. Mike Schmidt made his major league debut on September 12.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

Draft picks

Game log

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Other batters

''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Spartanburg