Nick Castellanos’ candid Rob Thomson comments reveal bigger fracture than we thought

There's no denying that Nick Castellanos' tenure in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform has been nothing short of eventful, to put it mildly. After being the team's sole All-Star in 2023, his streaky performance in the field and at the dish since then has led to this great divide that has started to rear its ugly head.

Nick Castellanos came off the bench in the sixth inning of Friday’s 8-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting his 250th career home run in the eighth and adding an RBI single in the ninth. It was the first time he recorded two or more RBIs in a game as a pinch-hitter.

“I’m here to do whatever I can to make sure that Philadelphia wins a World Series ring,” Castellanos said postgame, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “So whatever that goal looks like, just do the best I can with that.”

Clearly, his mindset is still on the present, which is how it should be, especially with the fate of his everyday status in jeopardy as he and Max Kepler now split time in right field.

As Phillies manager Rob Thomson continues to remind even his vets to check their egos at the door, Thomson's loyalty has shifted to the trio of Kepler, Harrison Bader, and Brandon Marsh. Many Phillies fans wondered about the communication between Thomson and his players. Castellanos and Thomson's relationship this season had noticeably begun to shift from sour to unsalvageable in June.

Nick Castellanos sheds light on his perspective of the strained relationship between him and Rob Thomson

“Communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience. But also, I grew up communicating with somebody like my father, who is very blunt, direct, and consistent," Castellanos said to reporters after Friday’s game, per Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation.

Castellanos played 236 consecutive games for the Phillies until he made an "inappropriate comment" earlier this year in June, which led to Rob Thomson benching him.

“I don’t really talk to Rob all that often,” Castellanos continued. “So that’s just – I play whenever he tells me to play. Then I sit whenever he tells me to sit.”

He's currently batting .255 with 17 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .710 OPS this season. However, since the beginning of July, Castellanos has been slashing just 206/.262/.346 with seven homers and 24 RBIs. After such a promising start to this season and his tenure in Philadelphia, a platoon role isn't ideal for a veteran with this much Major League experience. Even still, Castellanos is choosing to be a team player, accepting this new position while focusing on the present.

“It’s just been times where things have been said. Over the course of the years, I’ll have expectations because I’ll latch on to what’s being said, and then actions will be different," Castellanos admitted. "And then I’m kind of left, you know, just thinking and whatnot. Again, like, it is what it is."

Despite the media trying to paint a narrative that's not necessary, as Red October rolls into the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, it's evident that Castellanos still cares for his teammates, whom he has fought alongside in the last three postseasons.

While his role on the field has diminished, his love for this city, and unwavering dedication to bringing the World Series trophy back to it, remains at the forefront of his mind.

"Come back. Do what I can. At the end of the day, we’re here to win the World Series.”