Philadelphia Phillies Release Nick Castellanos
CLEARWATER, Florida. The Philadelphia Phillies have made the decision to release outfielder Nick Castellanos, thus ending a relationship that had deteriorated over time. The incident that occurred last June in Miami, where the player brought a beer to the dugout after being substituted, marked a turning point. The organization confirmed the departure of the player, who still has US$20 million pending to receive this season, a sum that the club will assume despite his detachment. Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, explained that both parties needed a “change of scenery”. The incident in question took place on June 16th at loanDepot Park. Manager Rob Thomson replaced Castellanos for defensive reasons in the eighth inning of a game against the Marlins. Following this decision, the player took a beer to the dugout and engaged in a tense exchange with the coaching staff, questioning the decision to take him out of the game. In a letter subsequently published on social media, Castellanos admitted that his emotions got the better of him and offered apologies for his behavior. However, the relationship between the player and the organization was already affected by differences regarding his role in the lineup and internal communication. During the past season, Castellanos was progressively relegated, even playing a platoon role in right field. The team tried to trade him in the last markets, but without success. In 2025, the veteran batted .250 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. In four seasons with the Phillies, he left a .260 average and a .732 OPS, in addition to postseason highlights and an All-Star call-up in 2023. Management signed Cuban Adolis García to a one-year contract for US$10 million to fill the void in the outfield. With the start of training just around the corner, the franchise chose to close the chapter and move forward.Castellanos concluded his message by assuring that he loves the game and that he will learn from the experience.“At some point you have to recognize that it’s not going to work,” Dombrowski expressed. “Nick did a lot of good things for us, but it was time to move on.”
Dave Dombrowski
