The Philadelphia Phillies released veteran right fielder Nick Castellanos on Thursday, ending a strained relationship that reached a breaking point last season.
The Phillies still owe Castellanos $20 million in 2026 for the final year of his contract, but they opted to cut him after being unable to find a trade partner.
The decision came eight months after Castellanos took issue with being removed in the eighth inning of a June 16 game in Miami for a defensive replacement, leading to a dispute with manager Rob Thomson.
Castellanos addressed that incident Thursday in a handwritten letter posted to Instagram, admitting he “broke” a rule by bringing a Presidente beer into the dugout after he exited the game.
“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 are not conducive to us winning,” Castellanos wrote.
“Shoutout to my teammates and [Phillies special assistant] Howie [Kendrick] for taking the beer out of my hands before I could take a sip.”
Castellanos, who is from South Florida, wrote that he had friends and family in the stands that night. He added that he met with Thomson and president of baseball operations David Dombrowski after the game and apologized for “letting my emotions get the best of me.”
Thomson benched Castellanos for one game before the slugger returned to the lineup on June 18.
At the time, Thomson attributed Castellanos’ benching to an “inappropriate comment” made by the outfielder.
The veteran’s playing time decreased down the stretch, with Max Kepler starting some games in right field and Harrison Bader subbing in for Castellanos on defense late in an Aug. 29 victory.
The Phillies signed outfielder Adolis Garcia to one-year, $10 million contract in December, further signaling the end of Castellanos’ time in Philadelphia.
Dombrowski said earlier this week that trying to trade Castellanos was a “focus” at the start of spring training.
Castellanos, who turns 34 next month, is now free to sign with any team.
The right-handed hitter is a two-time All-Star, but his numbers have declined three seasons in a row, dipping to .250 with 17 home runs, 72 RBI and a .694 OPS in 2025.
“I love this game, I love being a teammate and I am addicted to winning,” Castellanos wrote in Thursday’s letter. “I will learn from this.”
The Phillies are set to move forward with an outfield of Garcia in right, Brandon Marsh in left and prospect Justin Crawford in center.
Bader signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants this offseason, while Kepler remains a free agent after being hit with an 80-game suspension for a violation of MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Philadelphia seeks its second straight National League East title and fifth consecutive playoff appearance. After finishing 96-66 last season, the Phillies still pose the biggest threat to the Mets in the division.