The end of the road has arrived in Philadelphia for a two-time All-Star. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports the Phillies are expected to release or trade outfielder Nick Castellanos this offseason.
Castellanos never fully lived up to the five-year, $100 million deal he signed with the Phillies ahead of the 2022 season. In four years with the club, he hit 82 home runs with a .732 OPS, 100 OPS+ and 1.1 bWAR.
The move comes as little surprise, as the writing has been on the wall for a while. Castellanos endured his worst season with the Phillies in 2024, losing his starting role following the trade deadline acquisition of Harrison Bader. He posted an 88 OPS+, a .694 OPS and minus-1.0 bWAR. He was also benched for a game earlier in the season for making an inappropriate comment to manager Rob Thomson after being removed for defensive purposes.
Front Office Ready to Move On
“[T]he Phillies are expected to either trade or release the veteran outfielder, club sources have said,” according to Gelb. “[Dave] Dombrowski’s reluctance to say anything about Castellanos on Thursday affirmed that stance. When asked about Castellanos, Dombrowski said he could not comment on ‘specific players that are on our roster under contract,’ then spent the next 34 minutes doing just that.”
If the Phillies attempt to trade Castellanos, they will have to pay down a massive portion of his $20 million salary just to receive even a low-level prospect in return.
The Phillies are looking to shake up a lineup that failed offensively for a third straight postseason. With the infield primarily set, the front office will focus on revamping the outfield. Prospect Justin Crawford will likely start the season in the lineup as the team looks to bring back Bader. If they’re unable to reach a deal with Bader, the Phillies could go after high-end outfield free agents in Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. The club will also search for a right-handed platoon bat to pair with Brandon Marsh.
Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant … More about Matt Higgins