Phillies Cut Ties With Outfielder Nick Castellanos

The Philadelphia Phillies knew they were not going to enter the 2026 season with Nick Castellanos in the picture after a long offseason of trade rumors, officially releasing the outfielder on Thursday.

The Phillies will owe Castellanos the $20 million remaining on his contract, plus a prorated portion of $780,000, when he signs with his new team.

Castellanos, who will be 34 on Opening Day, was a key member of the Phillies team that made the World Series in 2022. However, Castellanos had the worst year of his career in 2025, hitting .240/.294/.400 with only 17 home runs. Castellanos also clashed with Phillies manager Rob Thomson on multiple occasions and recently admitted to bringing beer into the dugout after being pulled from a game.

The two-time All-Star has been a negative asset in the field as well, being almost unplayable in the outfield. Castellanos totaled -0.6 WAR in 2025 and only tallied 0.8 WAR in total during his time in Philadelphia.

The Phillies’ President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski, attempted to trade the outfielder in the offseason, but with his expensive contract and declining production, it was really difficult to find a suitor for Castellanos, especially since other teams knew he would become a free agent.

The Phillies brought in former Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia to replace Castellanos. Garcia provides the defensive upside that Castellanos does not, and is on a cheaper deal, signing a one-year, $10 million deal.

Once Castellanos clears waivers, he will be free to sign with any team that shows interest in him. Certainly, a team that needs a DH could take a flyer on Castellanos, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals.