Nick Castellanos celebrates Father's Day on the field with baseball-loving son Liam
On June 2, Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies had a record of 25-32, and were tied with the Washington Nationals for the last place in the NL East. Ever since, their star outfielder has been a significant part of a big rally.
The defending NL champs were also languishing at the beginning of June 2022. At that point, the team had a record of 22-29. They battled all the way to the 2022 World Series, where they eventually lost to the Houston Astros.
Ahead of Sunday, the Phillies have gone on a 12-2 tear. Outfielder Nick Castellanos has been the team's best hitter this month, hitting .403/.426/.629 with 3 home runs and 14 RBIs over his last fifteen.
Ahead of their game on June 18 against the Oakland Athletics, MLB posted a heartwarming video of Castellanos and his son, Liam. The video has priceless reflections from young Liam juxtaposed against video of the youngster taking the field with his dad during Phillies batting practice.
The relationship between Nick Castellanos and his son, Liam, is awesome. #FathersDay https://t.co/RV35Hyjnc8
"The relationship between Nick Castellanos and his son, Liam, is awesome." - MLB
Philadelphia Phillies fans, who are already enthralled by Nick Castellanos' strong hitting ability, loved the clip. Many commented underneath the video, praising Liam Castellanos for his endearing words and presentable nature.
@MLB Happy Father’s Day. I love you Nick. I love you Liam & Otto!
@michcast05 @MLB Michelle your husband is the best player in the league right now spoil him after the game today
@MLB That’s father-son love right there 💯
The whole family is special 🔥🔥
Despite signing a five-year deal worth $100 million, 2022 represented the worst offensive season of Castellanos' career. The Florida-born outfielder registered a .263 batting average, alongside 13 home runs and 62 RBIs, his worst stats since his sophomore MLB season in 2014 as a member of the Detroit Tigers.
@MLB Parenting Style Goals! 💯
This man is a pro baller and still finds time to engrain qualities into his lil man. 🤙🏽
@MLB Happy Father’s Day Nicky!
happy Father’s Day to all the dads!@MLB So special!!! Liam’s a natural!♥️ happy Father’s Day to all the dads!
Heading into Sunday, the Phillies are back in third place in the NL East, eight games behind the Atlanta Braves. The team's on-base percentage has been fourth in the MLB since June 3, owing in large part to Nick Castellanos.
@MLB Damn can I swap my kid with him?
@MLB My favorite part was the admiration for Kershaw and his relationship with Charlie. Very cool to see Casty respect the game and his family.
@MLB Can’t believe I’m just now realizing just how similar they look, Liam looks just like his dad
Nick Castellanos streak is proof that the Phillies have hit their stride
In addition to Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner all appear to be hitting their strides. Last season, the Phillies showed us why they should not be discounted as a team.
With an electric mixture of young talent, experience, and commanding starpower, everyone knows that the Phillies have a winning recipe. Now, the team will need to prove to fans in Philly that 2022 was not a fluke, and that the current roster possesses every capability that was showcased by last year's group of players.