Phillies Nation Gives Up as $100M Outcast Gets Rafael Devers Treatment for Protesting Against Manager

It isn’t a stretch to say that Nick Castellanos wasn’t exactly happy after the team benched him in the ninth inning of their recent 2-1 win against Atlanta. The decision especially stung after his pivotal play in the fifth that threw out Braves’ Matt Olson at home plate. So when the reporters asked if the move was frustrating, Castellanos replied: “Yes.” He even called the late-game substitutions (his second this season) a “big adjustment.” Then he revealed he didn’t even hear about the change from his manager. “There was no conversation (with Thomson),” Castellanos said. “Paco (first base coach) was the one that told me.”

After his interview went viral on the internet, Analyst John Stolnis took a hard stance against Castellanos, suggesting he shouldn’t be disrespecting his teammates’ abilities. Retweeting a clip of the Phillies’ slugger, Stolnis wrote, “Grow up, Nick. Team first. It’s also pretty insulting to your teammates to think that they don’t have the juice to be able to play even one inning on defense for you.”

Rob Thomson’s decision, while controversial, can be understood just by looking at the numbers. Castellanos has struggled on defense, entering the match with -12 Outs Above Average (OAA) this season.  And he is sitting at -13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), which marks the third-worst among all outfielders. Meanwhile, with 17 DRS, Harrison Bader is an elite defender and ranked third among outfielders this season. 

This is the second time this season that Castellanos has reacted in a manner deemed inappropriate after being benched. On June 16 in Miami, Castellanos reacted furiously after being hooked in favor of Johan Rojas as a defensive swap and was benched in the next game as a direct consequence of that event, which broke Castellanos’ 236-game consecutive start. He later admitted, “I wasn’t happy about it. I spoke my mind. [Thomson] said that I crossed a line, so my punishment is that I’m not playing.” 

As the Thomson-Castellanos saga unraveled against the Braves, the fans gave their verdict on this incident.

Phillies Fans Snap — Reactions That Say It All

One fan didn’t hold back at all, suggesting “Rafael Devers treatment” for their $100M star. “I literally can’t stand this dude. Cut his a— now”. Fans have seen enough, and their anger ignores payroll realities that the Phillies would still owe roughly $20 million to Castellanos for the 2026.

Another fan echoed similar thoughts, “Alright, I’ve had enough. Grow up. I’ve defended this guy for like 2+ years. You are a bad defender. Harrison Bader & Marsh are Gold Glove winners/nominees. Kepler is still better than you in the field. You’re lucky to be in the lineup right now as it is.” Ouch!

This isn’t just keyboard-talk. The fan frustration can be backed up by the stats as Castellanos has a -12 Outs Above Average (OAA) and about -13 DRS, one of the worst marks in the league this season. On the other hand, Harrison Bader is a former Gold Glove winner with an elite +17 Defensive Runs Saved this season. And Brandon Marsh is a former Gold Glove finalist. And even Max Kepler’s -2 OAA this season is far better than Castellanos.

Many fans believe the issue isn’t his glove or his bat; it’s his ego, referencing his previous incident in June. “Nick’s ego is so exhausting. I don’t really see a scenario where he is on this roster entering 2026. #RingTheBell”.  While one questioned, “What’s the argument for giving him everyday reps anymore? Genuinely curious”. The answer may be that his $20 million salary makes him too expensive to bench.

This feeling of being stuck has led one fan to look back at the July 31st trade deadline with regret— “Should have dealt him at the deadline.” In hindsight, that could prove to be the sliding doors moment for the Phillies.