Phil graduated from Memphis' Christian Brothers High School, where he played for his uncle and was a teammate and schoolmate of Tim McCarver.

Gagliano and McCarver, as fellow Cardinals from 1963 through 1969, became two of the four Christian Brothers High School baseball alumni to have played in the World Series as of 2017.

Gagliano's tenure in St. Louis ended in May 1970 when he was traded to the Chicago Cubs, who used him in only 26 games over the last four months of the campaign.

After his contract was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Cubs at the Winter Meetings on December 2, 1970,[1] he established himself as one of the majors' top pinch hitters of the day.

In his 702 MLB games, Gagliano collected 336 hits, with 50 doubles, seven triples, 14 home runs, and 159 career RBI.