One word to perfectly describe Nick Castellanos’ exit from the Philadelphia Phillies would be ‘dramatic.’ The rift between the team and the player has been developing rapidly since that one game against the Miami Marlins in June. Now, Castellanos is with the San Diego Padres, and one of his new teammates has opinions to share.

The Phillies let go of Castellanos, who signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the club in 2022. The Phillies will pay him $19.22 million, and the Padres will pay only $780,000. The decision comes months after he brought a Presidente beer to the clubhouse during a game. As Castellanos moved on to the Padres, Jackson Merrill took a sly dig at the Phillies with how their Castellanos episode unfolded.

“Nick can be himself, and he can do whatever he wants in our clubhouse. That’s his personal choice. What he did in the other clubhouse has nothing to do with us,” said Merrill, according to Luke Arcaini’s X post.

Star Center Fielder Merrill is on a nine-year contract with the Padres that is worth $135 million. When asked about Castellanos, Merrill told the reporters that at the Padres, they would look at him as a ‘new human being’.

Though the Phillies and Castellanos both have their own versions of what caused the rift, Castellanos came clean about the beer incident on Instagram. Angry at Rob Thomson for removing him from the game against the Marlins on 16 June 2025, Castellanos brought a beer. It was clearly the wrong thing to do, as he was benched in the next game.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

In the handwritten note he posted on Instagram, Castellanos thanked teammates and Howie Kendrick for stopping him from taking a sip. However, according to MLB.com, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, denied that the beer incident was the sole cause of Castellanos’s exit. His performance is likely to have factored in as well.

In his four seasons with the Phillies, Castellanos hit .260 with 82 total home runs, with an OPS+ of 100, i.e., the league average. Plus, his defense in the outfield has not been something that one would expect from a $100 million player as well.

The Phillies’ Castellanos episode has stirred a variety of reactions in the baseball community. But the Padres don’t seem too concerned about his history with the Phillies, or at least the players don’t.

“I don’t really care to dive into deep what he did over there because that was the Phillies and we’re the San Diego Padres. So, I’m just happy to have him in a new clubhouse, see his vibe, and see what he does to help us”, said Merrill.

With the Phillies-Castellanos chapter finally closing, both the team and the player can now breathe a sigh of relief. Here’s hoping the Padres see better days with Castellanos.

How Castellanos fits in the Padres

Nick Castellanos role in San Diego could be a hybrid of outfielder, first baseman, or designated hitter. He has a career batting average of .272 and a .785 OPS across 13 MLB seasons. At the Padres, he would likely spend his time as a DH.

Castellanos can also see some time at the outfield behind Merrill, Ramón Laureano, and Fernando Tatis Jr. Furthermore, a debut at first base in a platoon with Gavin Sheets is also in the cards for him. For now, Castellanos’ move to San Diego appears to be the fresh start he certainly needed.

More importantly, Castellanos will not be expected to carry the offense in San Diego. With the Padres already stacked with proven talent, he can focus on producing in a defined role and rebuilding his confidence at the plate.

The move is also low-risk financially for the Padres, with Philadelphia covering most of his salary. If Castellanos rebounds, San Diego gets a proven bat at a bargain price. If not, his playing time can be managed without disrupting the lineup.

Most importantly, joining a team with World Series ambitions gives Castellanos the fresh start and postseason opportunity he has been looking for.