Rot in Phillies Clubhouse as Rob Thomson and Nick Castellanos’ Relationship Hits Rock Bottom

Last time Nick Castellanos was pulled late for a defensive replacement, it didn’t go well for the Phillies. Reportedly, Castellanos was vocal about his frustrations and had a heated moment with manager Rob Thomson, which caused him to be benched in the next game. “I wasn’t happy about it, spoke my mind,” Castellanos was visibly upset that time. And guess what, we might have a repeat of that incident on our hands again.

Since that incident on June 16 in Miami, Castellanos was not pulled again until Friday night’s 2-1 win over the Braves. It felt like the right choice as the man who played all 162 games last season went 0-for-3 on Friday, dropping his OPS to .700 through 128 games. And with the Phillies’ new outfield mix after the trade deadline, his playing time has started to slip. Result? Castellanos got pulled in again! And it all comes at a time when everything else seems to be clicking for the Phillies. But under the surface, there might be some tension.

When Thomson was asked about Castellanos after the game, his answer didn’t exactly ease concerns; rather, it might have just confirmed there’s a rift. He was asked if Castellanos approved the move on Friday. “I think we’re all at the point now where we’re all in and whatever is best for the team to win a game that night, we’re all in,” Thomson responded. “Check your ego at the door and let’s go.”

Reportedly, on Friday, Castellanos got the start over Harrison Bader, who’s been the Phillies’ hottest outfielder and their best defender in center. But after Castellanos worked a walk in the eighth inning, he was lifted for the final three outs. And, just like back in June, it didn’t look like he took it well. “There was no conversation (with Thomson),” Castellanos said afterward. “Paco (first base coach) was the one that told me.”

Yes, numbers explain why Thomson turned to Bader. Notably, Castellanos is sitting at -13 DRS, third-worst among outfielders. Bader, on the other hand, has been elite with the glove, tied for third-best among outfielders with 17 DRS! But the way Castellanos and Thomson responded to the event offers enough about the Phillies’ internal rift.

The Phillies might face the worst with Castellanos

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand recently floated the Phillies as a possible landing spot for Kyle Tucker, and with trade chatter around the Cubs star heating up, the fit makes some sense. Reportedly, Nick Castellanos is still under contract through 2027, but if the Phillies had a chance to upgrade, moving on from him could clear the way.

Tucker is a top-five talent in the game and will be looking at a massive deal this winter ($500m+). Thus, shedding Castellanos’ contract might give the Phillies more financial flexibility to take that swing. He still has $40 million left till 2027, and in case of his departure, it would lighten the wage bill significantly.

FanSided’s Matt Grazel also threw out a hypothetical trade involving Adolis Garcia (18 HRs) from the Rangers! The Phillies’ outfield has underwhelmed this year, and Castellanos hasn’t looked like the All-Star he once was (16 HRs). And hence, a deal for Garcia would be bold, and it’d give the lineup another big-time bat and defensive upgrade.

Nevertheless, with the whispers of tension between Castellanos and Rob Thomson, it might be time for Castellanos to look for new pastures.