As spring training gets underway, the Miami Marlins are not a finished product. They traded two starters and began with Sandy Alcantara as their ace. As far as the lineup goes, the president of baseball operations, Peter Bendix, has not really addressed the need for power in the lineup.
The Marlins will go into the regular season as currently constructed, still missing a big bat from either side of the plate. It will be a young everyday lineup, but adding a veteran bat with power is something that would lengthen out second-year manager Clayton McCullough’s lineup.
There are still some free agent options and on Thursday, another option became available when the Philadelphia Phillies released veteran Nick Castellanos. Could he be an option for Bendix and the Marlins as someone who can come in and fill a need?
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Is Nick Castellanos an Option After Being Released by Phillies
Nick Castellanos | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
At first, this may not seem like a fit for Miami, but Castellanos would bring multiple options for McCullough. An outfielder by trade, the Marlins are not in dire need of one right now with their young talent, but Castellanos is open to potentially making a move to first base, where Miami could use him. He would also be a hit as a DH.
Castellanos did not see eye to eye with Phillies manager Rob Thomson, and he was asked not to report to spring training by the club. Dave Dombrowski was trying to part ways with Castellanos with a trade, but had no takers. It is not a surprise, given that he is owed $20 million this season.
As Philadelphia was one their way to securing the National League East in the second half of the season, Castellanos struggled, but his past as a big producer should be enough for teams to take a chance on him.
In 2025, there was a drop in production for Castellanos with just 17 home runs and 72 RBIs in 147 games. A change of scenery could help the 33-year-old Miami native help a team looking to add some production to their lineup.
Kyle Stowers broke out last season for the Marlins and much of the offseason moves were to address pitching, with former Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks signed as a free agent. Christopher Morel of the Rays was signed and prospect Owen Caissie should slide right into McCullough’s lineup after coming over the Chicago Cubs in a trade that sent starting pitcher Ryan Weathers to the Windy City.
Taking a chance on Castellanos is just that, a chance and a rather big one. He would provide depth and power to a lineup that needs it. Maybe the biggest reason to sign him is that he would be the right-handed bat the lineup needs.
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