NEWS: Nick Castellanos released by Phillies

The Phillies have released veteran slugger Nick Castellanos, ending a turbulent stay in Philadelphia marked by both solid production and controversy.

The decision follows reports of growing tension between Castellanos and manager Rob Thomson that boiled over during a June 2025 game in Miami. The outfielder confronted Thomson in the dugout over his managing style and was carrying a beer during the heated exchange — an incident that club officials viewed as crossing a line and underscored a deteriorating relationship between player and manager.

Castellanos addressed the incident on social media after his release on February 12.

“After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a Presidente into the dugout,” Castellanos wrote. “I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others was not conducive to us winning.”

On the field, Castellanos remained productive. He hit .250 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI in 2025, continuing his reputation as a solid middle-of-the-order bat. Over a 13-year career, he owns a .272 average with 250 home runs and 920 RBI.

The Phillies decided to eat the $20 million left on the $100 million, five-year contract he signed before the 2022 season after team officials couldn’t swing a trade.

D. Benjamin Miller, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, LatinoBaseball.com.illustration