The Philadelphia Phillies dropped their weekend series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are fighting for a playoff spot, and now have just two series left to lock down a first-round postseason bye.
The Los Angeles Dodgers remain close behind in the standings, but the Phillies still hold the advantage, in large part due to manager Rob Thomson’s strategic use of his outfielders. Thomson has rotated Max Kepler, Harrison Bader, and Brandon Marsh effectively, though it has resulted in a significant decline in playing time for Nick Castellanos.
With Castellanos no longer holding a regular outfield role, speculation is growing about his future.
“When the Phillies signed Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million contract, this wasn’t the outcome they envisioned.
He’s still owed $20 million for 2026, and while that’s a hefty amount for the club to absorb, it’s worth asking if they might simply release him this winter—unless a trade partner emerges, which would almost certainly require Philadelphia to cover most of the remaining salary,” wrote Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors.
Castellanos hasn’t helped matters with his public response to the situation. He has openly criticized Thomson’s communication and expressed frustration over his reduced role. When asked recently about his future in Philadelphia, he offered only a short-term perspective.
“My future is showing up tomorrow and playing a game,” Castellanos told reporters Grace Del Pizzo and Tim Kelly of On Pattison.
Pressed on whether he’s considering his future with the team beyond this year, he deflected.
“That would be selfish and take away from what we’re trying to do as a group,” he said.
While Castellanos will need to make the most of his limited opportunities down the stretch, the reality is that he may soon have to prepare for a change of scenery.
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