Castellanos Out: Phillies vs. Marlins Update
- Miami — Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos found himself out of the starting lineup Tuesday against the Marlins, marking his first missed start since September 2023.
- The phillies' team role and defensive strategy factored into the decision.
- The move snapped Castellanos's streak of 236 consecutive starts, the second-longest active streak in Major League Baseball behind atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson's 405.
Phillies’ Castellanos Benched After Comments to Manager Thomson
Updated June 18, 2025
Miami — Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos found himself out of the starting lineup Tuesday against the Marlins, marking his first missed start since September 2023. The decision followed what manager rob Thomson termed “inappropriate” comments made by Castellanos after being replaced defensively during Monday’s 5-2 victory. The Phillies lost Tuesday’s game 8-3.
The phillies’ team role and defensive strategy factored into the decision. Thomson said he wanted to insert Johan Rojas, a defensive specialist, given the string of right-handed pitchers the team would face. castellanos’s defensive metrics rank near the bottom of MLB, with minus-10 defensive runs saved.
The move snapped Castellanos’s streak of 236 consecutive starts, the second-longest active streak in Major League Baseball behind atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson’s 405. It also ended his consecutive games played streak at 236, ranking third behind Olson (691) and New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (327). Pete Rose previously held the Phillies’ record with 350 straight starts from 1980-83.
Castellanos acknowledged his displeasure with being removed from Monday’s game. “I wasn’t happy about it,” Castellanos told reporters before Tuesday’s game.”Spoke my mind. He said I crossed a line. so my punishment is I’m not playing.”
Thomson emphasized the substitution wasn’t solely about Castellanos’s performance but about the game situation and optimizing the team’s defense. The score was 3-1 when Miami scored to start the inning.
“It’s his decision,” Castellanos said, acknowledging Thomson’s authority. “He’s the manager.”
Thomson said he and Castellanos discussed the matter and reached an understanding. ”One of the things that I love about Nick is that he’s very emotional,” Thomson said. “He loves to play, and he loves to play every inning of every game.”
What’s next
It remains to be seen how the Phillies will manage the right field position in upcoming games and whether Castellanos will adjust his approach to in-game substitutions and team role.