Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos has been one of the league’s worst performers since the All-Star break.
He owns the lowest fWAR in baseball over that span at -0.8, batting just .178/.204/.493 with three homers and 25 strikeouts in 23 games. His most recent stretch has been particularly rough, going 1-for-25 with no walks and seven strikeouts in his last six games.
Known for streaky play since joining the Phillies, Castellanos frustrates fans by missing hittable pitches and chasing sliders well out of the zone. He’s mostly hit in the cleanup spot (47 games) or fifth (57 games), with occasional appearances batting sixth (11 games) and just once in the seventh spot—partly because the lineup already has several low-order bats.
His defensive struggles in right field have made matters worse, as he’s posted -13 defensive runs saved this year. While manager Rob Thomson has continued to back him, the Phillies may need to make a change if they hope to return to the World Series and win their first championship since 2008.
Platooning presents best solution
Although many fans want Castellanos benched, the Phillies’ current outfield setup makes that unrealistic.
A more practical solution would be to platoon Castellanos so he only faces left-handed pitchers, while Max Kepler—who has had a rough season overall but is hitting .292/.320/.500 with a homer and two doubles against righties—handles right-handed pitching.
In 2025, Castellanos has a .692 OPS and 72 strikeouts versus right-handers, compared to a .723 OPS and 33 strikeouts against lefties. Overall, he’s batting .254/.292/.408 with 15 homers and an underwhelming 89 OPS+.
If Rob Thomson chooses this approach, Harrison Bader could take over as the everyday center fielder since he performs well against both righties and lefties, while Brandon Marsh could split time in left field with Otto Kemp or Weston Wilson.
The Justin Crawford wild card
The Phillies could take an unconventional approach by calling up top outfield prospect Justin Crawford to handle left field full-time, while platooning Bader and Marsh in center and Castellanos and Kepler in right.
In 97 Triple-A games, Crawford is batting .330 with an .850 OPS, 20 doubles, four triples, four homers, and 37 steals. He could inject energy into the offense, though his tendency to keep the ball on the ground is a concern.
Time for tough decisions
Although Castellanos would strongly oppose the move — he was already benched earlier this season after making a remark to Thomson when replaced defensively — personal feelings must be put aside for the good of the team.
Now in the fourth year of his five-year, $100 million contract, with trade rumors lingering since his arrival in Philadelphia, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Phillies part ways with him this offseason, whether through a trade or by releasing him and absorbing the remaining $20 million.
However, the immediate priority is addressing the Castellanos issue now. If they fail to do so, their World Series aspirations could be in jeopardy.
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