Nick Castellanos’ ironman streak with the Philadelphia Phillies will end Tuesday, and it wasn’t an injury that took him down.
The Phillies outfielder was reportedly left out of the team’s starting lineup Tuesday after manager Rob Thomson benched him for making “an inappropriate comment” during their 5-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Monday.
Castellanos, who is slashing .278/.321/.425 yet has a minus-0.5 WAR this season, went 1 for 4 but was removed for defense during the eighth inning of their 5-2 win over the Marlins on Monday.
The 13th-year outfielder, who is in his fourth season with the Phillies, had played 236 consecutive games dating back to Sept. 30, 2023. He is currently leading the National League with 72 games played, helping the Phillies start 43-29 and sit in second, two games back of the New York Mets in the NL East.
What Did Nick Castellanos Say To Get Benched?
The Phillies didn’t get into specifics about why the outfielder wasn’t in his customary No. 4 spot in their lineup Tuesday, but Castellanos confirmed it was something he said.
“I understand the decision,” Castellanos said, according to The Athletic. “It was when I got taken out. I wasnât happy about it. I spoke my mind. [Thomson] said that I crossed a line, so my punishment is that Iâm not playing.”
Left fielder Max Kepler, who does sometimes play right when Castellanos is the designated hitter, took his spot in right field and batted fourth in Miami.
The decision to sit Castellanos on Tuesday was met with the signature controversy from fans in the City of Brotherly Love. Some called benching the outfielder weak, especially with the team rolling with six wins in its past seven games.
Still, that’s the luxury Thomson has been afforded now, especially with Castellanos mired in a 4 for 23 slump over the past six games. Plus, Thomson replaced Castellanos because he ranks dead last on the Phillies in defensive runs saved (minus-10), according to Baseball Reference.
What Did Rob Thomson say About Benching Nick Castellanos?
There is a line to walk for the Phillies manager, especially when navigating a notoriously high-temperature player like Castellanos — especially since he both rarely misses innings and hails from the Miami suburb of Davie, Florida.
Still, Thomson also needs to give his team a chance to win, while chasing the Mets and trying to hold off other National League challengers, which is why he removed Castellanos for Johan Rojas — something The Athletic reports Thomson might do late in games against right-handed pitching moving forward.
“So, you might as well use [Rojas],” Thomson said, according to The Athletic, who also cited the Phillies manager as calling the reserve outfielder a “elite defender.”
When asked about leaving Castellanos out of the lineup, Thomson explained the decision bluntly.
“One of the many things about Nick that I love is that heâs very emotional,” Thomson told reporters before the game Tuesday. “He loves to play, and he loves to play every inning of every game.”
Despite his struggles defensively, Castellanos reportedly takes pride in his defense and will continue to try to improve.
“Itâs just a work in progress,” Phillies outfield coach Paco Figueroa said to The Athletic of Castellanos’ defense. “Weâre working on our jumps, our routes and keep working on understanding the game.”
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