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Phillies Release Nick Castellanos, Who Says Miami Incident Involved Bringing a Beer into Dugout
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
Nick Castellanos was released on Thursday afternoon:
It was a long time coming since the end of the 2025 season. The Phillies were looking for a trade partner, but in the end decided to release the veteran right fielder after four years. He had one more season on his contract at $20 million.
Castellanos shared a farewell message on his Instagram, thanking his teammates, the city of Philadelphia, and the coaching staff. He then detailed what went down in Miami when he got into it with Rob Thomson after he was taken off the field.
Castellanos admitted that after he was benched, he brought a “Presedente” (sic) out into the dugout, but did not drink any of the beer. He thanked his teammates for stopping him and told his side of the story in slides 3 and 4:
“As a veteran of the game of baseball there are rules and I broke one in Miami. After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family I brought a Presidente into the dugout. I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning. Shoutout to my teammates and Howie (?? I think Kendrick) for taking the beer out of my hands before I could take a sip (I appreciate you guys). After the game, I went into the office with Dave (Dombrowski) and Rob. We aired out our differences and the conversation ended up with me apologizing for letting my emotions the best of me. I would like to note that I was ready to share the details of the incident in its entirety to the media the next day but was instructed not to by management. The punishment I received for my actions was the benching the following game.”
Personally, I don’t think this is the ending that either side deserved, but it had to happen after what occurred in 2025. Castellanos had big moments in his time in Philadelphia and was a fan-favorite in the good times. Things took a turn after a rough 2025 season and some bad moments with Rob Thomson. In the end, it was the best move for both sides to move in a different direction.
Castellanos should draw some interest from teams around the league looking for a corner outfielder or potentially a designated hitter.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com