Nick Castellanos never appears as one of the flamboyant third basemen like Jose Ramirez or Manny Machado. But he still does the very job he is supposed to do almost every single time. Although he helped the Phillies register one of their biggest wins over the Yankees in their own yard, he ended up injuring his left knee.

When the Phillies’ slugger did not turn up for the second game, manager Rob Thomson confirmed, “the last play last night where he went back towards the wall, just kind of jammed his left knee a little bit.”

With Castellanos’ absence in the lineup, Max Kepler will be taking over the right field, while Brandon Marsh will take over the left, and Johan Rojas at the center. It might be Castellanos’ knee keeping him out; however, the timing of it all raises speculation about what’s really happening in Philadelphia.

It can’t be ignored that the trade deadline is also inching closer than ever. As per Jon Heyman, it’s highly likely that Castellanos will be in the trade market, and the Kansas City Royals will be the first to call dibs. And why not? He’s having a solid year otherwise. “The Royals are seeking an OF who hits… and they might consider Nick Castellanos, if available,” Heyman reported. There is a clear interest from the Royals, but the Phillies might not afford to take this risk.

Castellanos is a key part of the Phillies’ offense. Even in Friday’s win over the struggling Bronx Bombers, he notched two hits and drove in a run. Even if he is briefly out, the Phillies will miss his versatility big time. Over the past five years, the 22-year-old has posted at least 100 RBIs in two seasons. Those two seasons were one each with the Cincinnati Reds and the Phillies. He is currently hitting .270 with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs this season. The Phillies’ outfield isn’t exactly the strength of the team. Yet, Castellanos’s impressive 103 OPS+ and 105 wRC+ prove he’s above average.

And now, as for what many analysts predict, his time with the Phillies is coming to an end. It won’t be smart for the Phillies to actually let go of the versatile veteran. They are already facing outfield issues, and trading their best hitter in such a scenario isn’t advisable. However, considering the recent beef between Nick and the Phillies skipper, do not be too surprised if this trade happens.

Castellanos’ fallout with the Phillies skipper

Not long, but just a month ago, the Philadelphia Phillies’ $100 million veteran found himself abruptly benched. “He made an inappropriate comment after he came out, and so today, he’s not going to play. And I’m going to leave it at that,” said manager Rob Thomson without pressing much on the details.

The Phillies’ way of handling Castellanos has all the signs of a brewing fallout. He isn’t somebody who is used to sitting out. Although later, Castellanos confirmed that he had put the beef on bed, saying, “If everybody just agrees on everything and doesn’t speak their mind, there’s not going to be passion there. Emotions drive people, especially passionate people,” there is another equation that could force Nick’s exit.

The Phillies are searching for a bullpen arm or two; for the same reason, they may trade Castellanos to fill those gaps. And since the 33-year-old has only one year left in his $100 million contract, a trade can not be denied.