Phillies fans believe nobody wants Nick Castellanos after sources reveal team plans to keep star slugger
A day after putting Nick Castellanos on the trade block, the Philadelphia Phillies are taking him off. They plan on keeping the slugger as they value him as an essential member of the organization.
The front office reportedly does not want to lose a player that possesses so much power, especially after having an All-Star season - the second of his career. MLB insider Buster Olney put the Castellanos trade ideas to bed.
Castellanos is coming off a strong 2023 season. He played in 157 games and hit .272/.311/.476 with 29 home runs and 106 RBIs. He also smashed five home runs in the postseason, with four coming in the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.
Taking Castellanos off the trade block makes sense, given President of Baseball Operations Dave Dambrowski's statements earlier in the week. The Phillies are sticking with Bryce Harper at first base for the 2024 season.
"That's political speak for nobody wanted him" one fan posted.
"Translation: Couldn't find any takers" another fan posted.
Phillies fans believe no other team is all that interested in Nick Castellanos. They feel there are quite a few better outfielders in the open market that teams would likely target before giving Philadelphia a call.
There was some buzz about Castellanos and Mick Abel potentially being traded to the Los Angeles Angels to get Mike Trout. But that does not seem like it will be the case anymore.
Looks like Nick Castellanos is staying with the Phillies
Nick Castellanos has three years left on his Phillies contract, having signed a five year, $100 million contract in 2022. He became the first person in MLB history to hit back-to-back multi-home runs in a postseason game, during their NLDS Game 4 encounter against the Atlanta Braves.
However, this streakiness comes with its concerns. He went 1-for-24 in the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which became a glaring point in the series. But the team knew his streakiness when they signed him to a five-year deal last year.
Castellanos is the least of the Phillies' problems, especially when Aaron Nola, Rhys Hoskins, Craig Kimbrel, and Michael Lorenzen are free agents.
Philadelphia has likely parted ways with Hoskins, with their plans to play Harper at first base next season. For Nola, they would like to re-sign him, but it won't be easy. They understand plenty of other teams are interested in him as well, with the pitcher's camp reportedly looking for a new contract worth $200 million.
If they cannot re-sign Nola, Philadelphia might reportedly pivot toward signing Sonny Gray.