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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 17: Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Phillies have released outfielder Nick Castellanos, the team announced on Thursday.

What we know:

Castellanos’ release comes after the Phillies reportedly told the outfielder not to show up to spring training. 

The 33-year-old signed a 5-year, $100M contract with the Phillies before the 2022 season. 

Castellanos played in 147 games last season, hitting .250 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI.

The backstory:

Castellanos’ tumultuous 2025 season involved an incident in Miami where he clashed with manager Rob Thompson in the dugout, resulting in him being benched the next day. 

Castellanos addressed this incident in a goodbye letter posted to social media, revealing that the incident happened when he was frustrated after being taken out of a close game. 

In the letter, Castellanos said he brought a beer into the dugout and sat next to Rob Thompson “and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning.” 

Castellanos said his teammates took the beer out of his hand before he could take a sip. Thompson and President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski met with Castellanos after the game. 

Via @Casty_8 on Instagram

“We aired out our differences and the conversation ended with me apologizing for letting my emotions get the best of me,” Castellanos wrote.

Castellanos’ post also included a thank you to members of the Phillies organization, including Dombrowski and owner John Middleton. He also thanked the people of Philadelphia for their support of the team and of his son. 

“To the people of the city, thank you for showing up these past 4 years. Applauding or booing you were there,” he wrote. “Above all thank you for embracing Liam the way you did. For that, I can never repay.”

Castellanos’ time in Philadelphia

Jack Fritz of WIP SportsRadio and High Hopes Podcast said, “I don’t think people know how to feel because on one hand you are saying this guy did have some good fun post season moments.” Fritz also discussed changes in Castellanos’ relationships with teammates and coaches after what the former All Star called the “Miami incident” and a dugout beer.  “Yelling at the manager I guess that’s not super uncommon but I have not seen a beer in the dugout and it really seemed like it rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way,” said Fritz.

Some fans are not optimistic about the Phillies’ future without Castellanos. “Phillies won’t make the playoffs this year. Good riddance. Good riddance,” said Joe Lattera of South Philadelphia.

Castellanos thanked Philadelphia for embracing his oldest son, Liam, and said he is addicted to winning and will learn from his time in the city.

Fans will miss Castellanos’ home runs and energy. “What are you going to miss most about him? All the home runs, all the cheering, the walk up song everything,” said Annaleighcia Collins of South Philadelphia.

What’s next:

The Phillies are set to play their first spring training game without Castellanos a week from Friday, and their regular season home opener is scheduled for March 26.

What we don’t know:

It is not yet clear how the Phillies will adjust their lineup or where Castellanos could play next.

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