Philadelphia Phillies Release Outfielder Nick Castellanos Amid Contract Dispute
The Philadelphia Phillies have made the surprising decision to release veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos, despite $20 million remaining on his current contract. This move comes as Castellanos himself lifts the lid on the mysterious circumstances surrounding his September benching, which he has detailed in a hand-written letter posted online.
The Infamous Beer Incident in Miami
As Castellanos explains in his personal account, the controversy began during a game against the Marlins in Miami. After being removed from a close contest in front of friends and family, the Florida native attempted to bring a Presidente beer into the dugout. This action sparked a tense exchange with Phillies manager Rob Thompson.
'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 was not conducive to us winning,' Castellanos wrote in his revealing letter. The conversation escalated and continued in the clubhouse with both Thompson and Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations and a two-time World Series champion.
'We aired out our differences and the conversation ended with me apologizing for letting my emotions get the best of me,' Castellanos added, acknowledging his role in the confrontation.
Preemptive Revelation and Subsequent Punishment
Castellanos stated that he decided to reveal this story proactively to get ahead of an article that was reportedly set to be published about the incident without his consent or comments. 'OK, apparently I need to address The Miami Incident,' Castellanos began his note. 'As one of my friends on the team has informed me, there is an article waiting to come out without my consent or comments about this situation. So I'm going to just share myself.'
The following game saw Castellanos benched as punishment for his actions, a disciplinary measure that now appears to have been part of a broader pattern leading to his eventual release from the team.
Contract Situation and Performance Decline
According to Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies had been actively trying to trade Castellanos in recent months. However, no team proved willing to take on the final year and $20 million of the 34-year-old slugger's substantial contract. This financial burden ultimately contributed to the decision to release him outright.
Castellanos experienced a particularly challenging year in 2025, hitting just .250 with a career-low .294 on-base percentage and managing only 17 home runs. Throughout his career, he has been known as one of baseball's most strikeout-prone hitters, though he compensated with solid power and timely hitting. His career statistics include 250 home runs and a respectable .272 average.
Career Highlights and Memorable Moments
The outfielder peaked during the 2021 season while playing for the Cincinnati Reds, hitting 34 home runs as he entered free agency. This performance earned him a lucrative five-year, $100 million deal with the Phillies, which was set to expire at the end of the 2026 season before his premature release.
That same 2021 season also saw Castellanos carve out a peculiar niche in baseball history. During a game where Reds play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman was apologizing for uttering a homophobic slur on a hot microphone, Castellanos homered against the Kansas City Royals. This led to Brennaman's now-infamous call: 'I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith, as there's a drive into deep left field by Castellanos, it will be a home run. And so that'll make it a 4–0 ballgame.'
Brennaman, son of legendary Reds radio announcer Marty, was subsequently fired for the slur but has since returned to announcing. Meanwhile, Castellanos developed a reputation for hitting home runs at awkward moments, a tendency that baseball fans have memorialized through various memes. In one particularly notable instance, Castellanos went deep as an announcer was eulogizing a military veteran.
The combination of declining performance, controversial behavior, and substantial remaining contract has now culminated in Castellanos's departure from the Phillies, marking a significant turning point in the veteran player's career.
