Phillies writer proposes toxic idea for fixing Don Mattingly's outfield problem

The Philadelphia Phillies need outfield help. Brandon Marsh may be on track to start the All-Star game, but the other two-thirds of the mix are not getting it done. With a dearth of impactful bats in the minor leagues, the Phils will need to address this issue on the trade front in the coming weeks. One thing they cannot afford to do is bring back Nick Castellanos. 

The Castellanos saga ended quite poorly this past winter, when the club released the erstwhile right fielder after years of terrible play and an even worse attitude. The mercurial slugger had completely cratered at the plate and in the field, and had become publicly insubordinate under manager Rob Thomson. Frankly, given Castellanos’ indiscretions and lack of production, he should have walked the plank long before then. 

The 34-year-old was given a second chance by the San Diego Padres on a low-risk deal this spring while the Phillies paid the lion’s share of his $20 million salary. Unfortunately for Castellanos and the Friars, he wasn’t any better on the west coast. Despite a few memorable moments, Castellanos posted a woeful .191/.221/.339 slash line across 39 games in San Diego before they too cut bait on June 5th. 

The Phillies aren't the only team that's had enough of Nick Castellanos

The former Detroit Tigers star has remained unemployed in the ensuing weeks, and there’s a very good chance he’s already played his last Major League Baseball game. Some Phillies fans have posited the notion of a reunion between the two parties, but that would be destined to fail for a multitude of reasons. 

First and foremost, Nick Castellanos hasn’t changed. The whiny, petulant attitude and self-centered nature didn’t simply disappear in San Diego, seeing as Castellanos had thoughts about his lack of playing time just days before his release when he was hitting under the Mendoza line. Rob Thomson may be gone, but it’s hard to envision interim skipper Don Mattingly putting up with Castellanos’ act any more than Topper did. 

Secondly, Nick Castellanos is still terrible at baseball. There’s no getting around the fact that the talent that propelled him to two All-Star selections and a Silver Slugger Award in years past has long since evaporated. Over his four seasons with the Phillies, Castellanos slashed a perfectly mediocre .260/.306/.426. That kind of production may be better than what the Phils have gotten out of Adolis García (who isn't even an option anymore after undergoing season-ending surgery) and Gabriel Rincones Jr. so far in right field, but in his last year in red pinstripes, Castellanos limped to a tepid .250/.294/.400 line across 589 plate appearances. Couple that with bottom-of-the-barrel defense and all the ingredients are there to make one of the most useless players in all of baseball. 

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski can’t afford to sit on his hands this summer. A dynamite starting rotation needs its offense to score a few runs to win playoff games. The outfield is the most logical place to bring in a difference-making bat, and it can’t be Nick Castellanos.

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