The Philadelphia Phillies had to address whether to release or trade outfielder Nick Castellanos.
That question has finally been answered, with the Phillies deciding to release the two-time All-Star on Thursday afternoon, per a team announcement. In wake of the move, Castellanos released a few letters — one to the Philadelphia fans, and another that detailed the “Miami incident,” in which he brought a beer into the dugout.
Castellanos was on the trade block all offseason, and the Phillies were never able to find a trade partner because of his high salary ($20 million) and disappointing play. In four seasons in Philadelphia, Castellanos batted .260 with an OPS of .732 with 82 home runs in 602 games.
Castellanos also underperformed as an outfielder, posting a -9 defensive runs saved. The Phillies will be on the hook to pay Castellanos all $20 million of his salary for this season.