Phillies' Nick Castellanos calls out Rob Thomson for 'questionable' communication

Matt Sullivan

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Phillies' Nick Castellanos calls out Rob Thomson for 'questionable' communication image

The Philadelphia Phillies, since the MLB trade deadline, have been trotting out a new-look outfield with Harrison Bader in center field and the corners in a full platoon. Nick Castellanos, who normally starts every day, has been relegated to a platoon.

After the Phillies' comeback win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Castellanos had a strange postgame interview that dug into his new role as a bench and platoon player. But after the game in the clubhouse, Castellanos further exacerbated the issue.

On Pattison shared on Twitter/X Castellanos' comments postgame, in which he criticized and called out Phillies manager Rob Thomson over his "questionable" communication over the last few years.

Nick Castellanos criticizes Rob Thomson's 'questionable' communication

"I don't really talk to Rob all that often..." Castellanos said. "Communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience."

This isn't the first time this season that Castellanos has butted heads with Thomson. Earlier, during a series against the Miami Marlins, Castellanos was pulled from the game late for a defensive substitution.

He expressed dissatisfaction with Thomson regarding the decision, and the next day, he was out of the lineup. It was a big deal in the moment, and while things had cooled down significantly, thanks to Castellanos' struggling at the plate and in the field, the drama has ramped back up again.

Of course, it doesn't help when Castellanos is constantly questioned about how he's faring in a new, lesser role. But, with a team looking to make a World Series run, these moments put unnecessary stress on the team.

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Since the beginning of September, the Phillies have employed a platoon in right field, as Max Kepler and Castellanos are now in a platoon. It's worked out well for the Phillies, as both Kepler and Castellanos have played better as of late.

But this moment postgame highlights the underlying issue in the Phillies clubhouse, one that's only heightened by the constant reporting on the situation.

This is a special Phillies team, and while this quote from Castellanos is a concerning one, and would normally be a huge deal, with the goal of the Phillies in sight, there's no time to dwell on some dissatisfaction.

Both Castellanos and Thomson will put this behind them to win a World Series. It might not go away, but the Phillies will make it a problem for the offseason, in which the Phillies could decide to cut ties with Castellanos before his final year with the team.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.