After a subpar season in 1972, the Twins traded Tovar to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ken Sanders, Ken Reynolds and Joe Lis on December 1. Tovar would then spend the 1973 season platooning with a young Mike Schmidt at third base. After being purchased by the Texas Rangers in December 1973, Tovar had a brief resurgence in 1974 as the leadoff hitter for Billy Martin, his Twins manager in 1969, hitting .292 with a .354 on-base percentage. In August 1975, the Rangers sold Tovar's contract to the Oakland Athletics who were in first place in the American League Western Division. The Athletics won the division title and Tovar appeared in two games of the 1975 American League Championship Series, getting one hit in two at-bats and scoring two runs. He was a pinch hitter and defensive replacement for the Athletics in 1976, before breaking his wrist while making a diving catch on May 31. He was activated in mid-August, only after a complaint from the Major League Baseball Players Association. The Athletics' temperamental owner, Charlie Finley, then released Tovar on August 25. The New York Yankees purchased his contract on September 1, 1976, and he appeared in 13 games for them before playing in his final major league game on September 29, 1976, at the age of 35. The Yankees released him in December 1976.