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Shane Victorino to sign one-day contract, retire as a Phillie in August celebration

Shane Victorino will retire when the Phillies celebrate the 10th anniversary of their World Series championship.

Shane Victorino is greeted at home plate by Jimmy Rollins after a home run during a May 2011 game at Citizens Bank Park. Victorino is returning to Philly to officially retire next month.
Shane Victorino is greeted at home plate by Jimmy Rollins after a home run during a May 2011 game at Citizens Bank Park. Victorino is returning to Philly to officially retire next month.Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff File

Shane Victorino, a Rule 5 draft pick who became the spark plug of a World Series champion, plans to retire next month after signing a one-day contract with the Phillies.

Victorino, 37, last played in 2016 with the Cubs' triple-A affiliate. He will retire with the Phillies on Aug. 3 as a part of the team's Alumni Weekend, which will include a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the 2008 World Series champions. Earlier that day, Victorino's foundation will hold a benefit at the Diamond Club in Citizens Bank Park.

Victorino played eight seasons with the Phillies before they traded him in July 2012 to the Dodgers, the same team that left Victorino unprotected in December 2004 and allowed the Phillies to select him in the Rule 5 draft.

He had two of the biggest homers of the Phillies' 2008 World Series run: a grand slam off Milwaukee's CC Sabathia in Game 2 of the division series and a tying two-run homer in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the championship series against the Dodgers, just three batters before Matt Stairs ripped his decisive two-run homer.

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Victorino went on to make the all-star team in 2009 and 2011 and win a second World Series, with Boston, in 2013. He also was a four-time Gold Glove outfielder.

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