Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An sanya Oates a matsayin mai karɓar rukuni tare da Bob Boone don lokacin 1976 duk da haka, a wasan buɗe kakar wasa da Pittsburgh Pirates, ya fasa ƙashin ƙugu a cikin haɗuwa a farantin gida tare da Dave Parker kuma ya rasa kusan rabin kakar. "Wannan wasan kwaikwayon ya canza rayuwata", in ji shi daga baya. Ya dawo ya taimaka wa Phillies lashe gasar 1976 na National League Eastern Division. Oates yana da bayyanar farantin daya a matsayin mai buga kwallo a cikin
Gasar Gasar Gasar Kasa ta 1976 yayin da Phillies ta yi rashin nasara ga zakaran duniya Cincinnati Reds. Bayan kakar wasa, an yi ciniki da shi zuwa Los Angeles Dodgers a ranar 20 ga Disamba, 1976.