The Philadelphia Phillies are going to have a busy winter, as Dave Dombrowski tries to keep Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, along with adding any potential free agents to the team.
But one of the more pressing matters to address is the roster spot of Nick Castellanos. After a down 2025 season and some butting heads with manager Rob Thomson, Castellanos' future in Philadelphia is very much in doubt.
Matt Gelb of The Athletic, in a recent report on the Phillies outfield, revealed where Dombrowski and the Phillies stand on Castellanos. A decision has been made, as Castellanos is expected not to return to the Phillies in any capacity in 2026.
The Phillies plan to part ways with Nick Castellanos
"It will not include Nick Castellanos," Gelb writes on the outfield, "whom the Phillies are actively shopping at this week's meetings, multiple major-league sources told The Athletic."
The Phillies are planning to move on from the $100 million outfielder in one way or another. He's owed $20 million in 2026, making his contract a difficult one to trade.
While the Phillies are willing to eat a lot of the salary to facilitate a trade, Gelb reports that other teams are trying to land a prospect with Castellanos rather than take on the outfielder for less money.
The Phillies shipping off a prospect to get all of his $20 million off the books isn't the likely outcome, but if it could lead to a Kyle Tucker-type free agent signing with the team, then Dombrowski and the front office might consider it.
More: Phillies' Dave Dombrowski shares four-word message on Nick Castellanos trade rumors
In 2025, he had his worst season in the Majors in some time. He finished with -0.8 bWAR, a.250 batting average, and a.694 OPS in 147 games.
His defense was the worst in the Majors, leading to Thomson pulling him for a defensive substitution, and Castellanos then butting heads with Thomson over the move, leading to a one-game benching in the middle of the year.
In the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he hit.133 with a.400 OPS. While Castellanos helped spark the Phillies into a playoff contender, he's likely going to finish his Phillies tenure on a sour note.
Regardless of how the Phillies do it, they are planning to cut ties with Castellanos before the 2026 season. The veteran outfielder isn't coming back to the team for 2026, as Philadelphia will either trade or cut him before the season.
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