Philadelphia Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos gets real when reporter asked what he learned during the season - "Not a damn thing"
Nick Castellanos has been red-hot for the Philadelphia Phillies this past week. In the slugger's last five games, he is 6-17 with two home runs, seven RBIs, and a stolen base.
He is part of why the Phillies clinched a postseason spot on Tuesday in dramatic fashion. They beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in extra innings to clinch a National League Wild Card berth.
As the team had their goggles on celebrating the clinch, a reporter spoke to Castellanos. He asked the slugger what he had learned about himself this season, and his answer likely will not shock many Phillies fans.
"Not a damn thing," said Nick Castellanos.
Castellanos is three games away from tying a career-high. In 154 games, he has slashed .274/.312/.481 with 29 home runs and 106 RBIs. It was a good enough season for him to be selected to his second All-Star team.
This has been a season where he has had to step up. Superstar Bryce Harper has been used as the Philadelphia Phillies DH, as he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery he got in the offseason. The team also lost first baseman Rhys Hoskins after he tore his ACL in a spring training game.
Can Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies make another deep run in the postseason?
Not much was expected from the Philadelphia Phillies last season in the playoffs. They had just barely gotten into the Wild Card and had the worst record compared to all the other teams that made it.
However, they did not let that get to them. They played their best baseball during last year's postseason, making it to the World Series. Unfortunately, they were taken down by the Houston Astros.
This year, the group has more playoff experience and arguably a better roster than the team from last year. While Trea Turner has had a bit of a rocky season, he adds so much value to their lineup.
Nick Castellanos and the Phillies will have to wait to see who they will match up against in the postseason. If the season were to end today, they would be taking on the five-seed Arizona Diamondbacks.
The playoffs are shaping up to be an exciting one. No clear-cut winner exists, as the teams in contention are loaded with talent. Fans may be in store for one of the most entertaining postseasons in a while.