The Philadelphia Phillies have made it no secret that outfielder Nick Castellanos is on the trade block this offseason. Could the Kansas City Royals be an option?
After re-signing designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and signing outfielder Adolis Garcia, it has felt like a matter of when, not if, Castellanos will be traded.
Castellanos no longer has a fit with the Phillies. The outfielder no longer has a place in right field after the signing of Garcia, and does not fit anywhere else defensively.
With Schwarber coming back to DH after a 56 home run season, there is no place for Castellanos on the Phillies’ roster.
With Castellanos owed $20 million this upcoming season, Philadelphia has no choice but to move him.
Could the Kansas City Royals be an option?
What Can Castellanos Bring to The Kansas City Royals
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently put a 2026 lineup prediction for the Royals with Castellanos’ name on it.
“Whether they swing a trade to acquire him on the cheap or wait until he is released as expected, Nick Castellanos looks like a good buy-low target for a Royals team that is lacking in proven run producers,” Reuter wrote. “That would leave Jonathan India and Michael Massey to compete for playing time at second base, and after both players had down years in 2025, that is likely preferable to counting on both to fill starting roles.”
In 2025, Castellanos hit .250 with 17 home runs and a .694 OPS. However, the former All-Star, as Reuter wrote, can still drive in runs with 72 RBIs last season.
Castellanos would bring great health to a team that dealt with injuries in the outfield last season. Since 2022, Castellanos has played in 602 of a possible 648 games with Philadelphia.
The Phillies shouldn’t expect much in return if Castellanos is indeed traded. In fact, Philadelphia might have to attach a prospect just for a team to take on his contract.
Entering his age-34 season, Castellanos has been relegated to a designated hitter role. He is one of the worst defenders in all of baseball, with -12 Outs Above Average in 2025, per Baseball Savant.
That is exactly where Reuter has predicted Castellanos to be with the Royals.
Castellanos’ Potential Fit
The Royals have long required more offense.
Outside of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia and an aging Salvador Perez, the Royals have no real run producers.
In 2025, those four were the only players on Kansas City to eclipse 50 RBIs. Castellanos has eclipsed that number in every season he has played except for his debut season and the COVID season.
This would make Perez play more games at catcher and first base than expected in 2026. For a player entering his age-36 season, who already is a poor defender, this is a daunting task.
This may not be the best fit for Kansas City just because of that. While it would be a low-risk move, the Royals need more than just designated hitters to vault into a level of contention.
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