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Since joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022, Nick Castellanos established himself as a regular in the outfield. However, he fell out of favor with manager Rob Thomson towards the end of the 2025 season, and his playing time took a significant hit as a result.
With Thomson set to continue in the dugout in 2026, a move away from Citizen's Bank Park looks likely for Nick Castellanos. Though the Phillies have made their desires of trading Castellanos quite clear, a poor showing on both sides of the ball in 2025 means that moving the outfielder on will be an uphill task for the organization.
Insider Todd Zolecki of MLB.com anticipates a grim future for the 33-year-old.
"(Phillies president of baseball operations) Dave (Dombrowski) used this word again, regarding Nick Castellanos, he says, 'We are looking for a change of scenery for him.' When the president of baseball operations is saying that, it means this guy is not coming back," Zolecki said (Timestamp: 14:37). Now, are they going to be able to trade him?
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"Nick wanted to go to the Miami Marlins a few years ago, the Phillies outbid the Marlins by like $60 million or so. They would be a great fit, but it does not sound like the Marlins would be interested right now. Quite frankly, I don't know how much interest they're going to get at all on him. Maybe they pull off something soon, but I feel like if any trade goes down for Nick Castellanos, it's going to happen later in the offseason. If not, they probably release him."
"Whatever happens is going to happen" - Nick Castellanos speaks about trade rumors
On Friday's episode of "Hot Stove," Nick Castellanos spoke about the trade rumors surrounding him and how he felt his future was shaping up.
"Well, I have no idea," Castellanos said. "All I know is that this offseason, I know that I wanted to just live as simple as possible, focus on training and being in a great spot just so I’m physically ready for 162 [games] next year. You know?
"There’s a lot of stuff right now that’s out of my control as far as like the trade talks and everything. So, I’m just trying to focus on making sure today, I get done what needs to get done. Whatever happens is going to happen.”
Castellanos is still owed a $20 million salary for the 2026, and this may prove to be a significant roadblock in his chances of getting a fresh start with a new team.
