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A Philadelphia Phillies fan favorite has been released before spring training begins.
Veteran MLB outfielder Nick Castellano will have to find a new home before the start of the 2026 season after the team announced his release on Thursday.
The news comes after a report from The Athletic revealed that “there is no locker in the clubhouse” for Castellanos, adding that he had been told “not to report to the team complex this week.”
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Nick Castellanos of the Philadelphia Phillies hits an RBI single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
The reason? The Phillies are looking to get out of Castellanos’ $20 million contract, and he was expected to be traded or released soon.
The writing has been on the wall regarding this relationship between Castellanos and the Phillies, as he was reportedly going to be on a new team at the start of the 2026 season in October, when they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
That report then became more concrete when the Phillies signed Adolis Garcia after re-signing another fan favorite, Kyle Schwarber, during free agency.
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Castellanos, who turns 34 next month, struggled at this plate last season. He slashed .250/.294/.400 with a .694 OPS in 147 games for Philadelphia last season. He also hit 17 home runs and 72 RBIs.
Castellanos’ .250 batting average is the lowest mark of his career in a full season.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) reacts after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. (Images by Eric Hartline-Imagn)
His $20 million price tag doesn’t match what the Phillies want on the books for 2026, and thus his time in town appears to be over.
Castellanos has spent the last four seasons with the Phillies after signing a five-year, $100 million contract following his 2021 All-Star campaign with the Cincinnati Reds.
Castellanos earned his second All-Star appearance in 2023 when he hit 29 home runs and 106 RBIs in 157 games for the Phillies.
He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Detroit Tigers, debuting in 2013 at age 21. He became a regular after that season before a 2019 trade sent him to Cincinnati before the MLB deadline.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 21, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. (Images by Ron Chenoy-Imagn)
Now, it appears Castellanos will have to find his fifth MLB home and the Phillies are expected to make a decision soon.
