Nick Castellanos reflects on what it means to have his son in the stands during playoffs: "When Liam is here, I'm extremely present"
Philadelphia Phillies star Nick Castellanos spoke to the media recently and said that his son Liam's presence in his games gives him an extra push to play better.
The Phillies' right fielder's heroics helped the team get past the Atlanta Braves in their National League Division Series with a 3-1 win. Castellanos starred in the second two games of the series, which were played in Philadelphia, with his son in the audience.
Castellanos was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 2010 MLB draft and went on to make his major league debut for them in 2013. Since then, he has played for several teams and established himself as a reliable hitter in the major leagues. He has two All-Star appearances and a Silver Slugger award in his career so far. After opting out of his contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021, he signed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Phillies ahead of the 2022 season.
One of the fixtures during the Phillies' postseason that has been a favorite among the fans is Castellanos and his son, Liam. With his father ready for his at-bat, Liam would often run down to the on-deck circle and have a few words with his dad. The two would then fist-bump and Nick would then go to work.
From the looks of things, it has been a good ritual for them and Castellanos has confirmed it to the media:
“I mean, I know that I perform the best when my mind and my body are in the same exact place. I think when Liam is here, I'm extremely present because I'm not worried about anything else [other] than what I'm taking care of at the moment."
Nick Castellanos produces historic performance for the Phillies in front of son Liam
There is no doubt that his son's presence in the ballpark gives Nick Castellanos some extra motivation to go out and do well. He showed it in his historic performance for the Philadelphia Phillies in their home ground ties against the Atlanta Braves this week.
Castellanos smashed two home runs in back-to-back postseason games, becoming the first player in MLB history to do so. The Phillies face the Arizona Diamondbacks next and will enter the series in high spirits.