Few players in Philadelphia sparked more conversation in 2025 than Nick Castellanos. Now, entering the final year of his five-year, $100 million deal, the focus shifts from his performance to his future with the Phils in 2026.

A season blemished by tension

Castellanos’ frustration boiled over multiple times last year.

On June 16 against the Marlins, Phils manager Rob Thomson pulled him late for defense — a move that led to what the skipper later called “an inappropriate comment” from Castellanos and a one-game benching. The decision snapped a streak of 236 consecutive starts.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson spoke to reporters on Tuesday to explain how an “inappropriate comment” made by Nick Castellanos will keep him out of the lineup on Tuesday.

“I wasn’t happy about it,” Castellanos said afterward. “I spoke my mind, and he said I crossed a line.”

The situation didn’t improve after the trade deadline. When the Phillies acquired Harrison Bader from Minnesota, the outfield suddenly became crowded — Bader, Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler and Castellanos vying for consistent at-bats.

On August 20, Castellanos even told reporters that Bader was “pretty frustrated” with his part-time role, a strange comment given the two were competing for playing time.

A week and a half later, when Thomson again replaced him defensively, Castellanos voiced disappointment about the lack of communication between the two. “I don’t really talk to Rob all that often. So, I play whenever he tells me to play and then I sit whenever he tells me to sit,” he said. “I’m not going to pretend it hasn’t been frustrating.” 

Nick Castellanos expressed frustration over his playing time after the Phillies win over the Braves on Friday and Rob Thomson responded to it on Saturday.

Even during the postseason, the frustration lingered. After the Phillies’ Game 2 loss to the Dodgers in the NLDS, Castellanos commented on the energy at Citizens Bank Park:

“When the game is going good, it’s wind at our back, but when the game is not going good, it’s wind in our face. The environment can be with us and the environment can be against us.”

After game two of the NLDS, Nick Castellanos had comments on the crowd at Citizens Bank Park. On Wednesday, the Phillies PGL crew defends the Phillies fans.

That quote reflected how his tone to the manager, the media and the fans worked against his favor this season.

Through it all, the production simply wasn’t there in his 13th professional campaign. Castellanos finished with a .250/.294/.400 slash line, 17 home runs and a -1.0 WAR. Defensively, he ranked last among qualified outfielders with -12 outs above average and -90 defensive runs saved since 2016, the worst total in baseball over that span. Each of those stats are calculated based on the “average” player showing just how substandard his defense has been.

The path forward

Castellanos is still owed $20 million in 2026. For a player now best suited for a designated-hitter role, that salary is a financial burden given his below average run production at the plate. The Phillies could try to trade him, eating part of his remaining salary, or, if no trade partner emerges, designate him for assignment and absorb the entire cost.

There’s reason to expect the front office to explore those options. Dombrowski said at the season’s end, “We’ll see what happens. I’m not going to get into specific players.”

With younger outfielders like Otto Kemp, Johan Rojas and top prospects Justin Crawford and Gabriel Rincones Jr. nearing solidified roles on the big league roster, the willingness to retain a declining veteran has faded – especially one who injected tension in the clubhouse.

Castellanos’ time in Philadelphia featured key postseason moments – his October in 2023 included six homers – and stretches of strong production. 

But after four playoff runs without a title, the Phillies may need to do what Castellanos once told the On Base podcast: “Help the team however it needs to be to win a World Series.”

In this case, the Phils may have to move on.