Nick Castellanos will lead the offense and finish with 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI
Nick Castellanos certainly had a forgettable first month of the season. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong did, as he struggled to hit for both average and power, resulting in lower-than-normal run production. But over the last two months, the right fielder has slowly been turning his game around. The hits, home runs and RBI have begun to mount once again.
For someone who only produced two home runs and nine RBI while hitting below the Mendoza Line through April (subscription required), Castellanos has rebounded to tally 13 home runs and 47 RBI in total entering the All-Star break, to go along with his steadily-climbing .233 batting average. More importantly, he appears to be the Castellanos of old once again — in particular, his last 24 games. He has hit .308 with an .855 OPS with eight runs scored, four home runs and a whopping 17 RBI over that span.
Don’t look now, but a hot-hitting Castellanos entering the second half of the season could spell major trouble for opposing teams. With the ability to single-handedly demolish opponents with the swing of the bat, as seen in his epic performance during the 2023 NLDS, look for Castellanos to surpass both Bryce Harper and Trea Turner in becoming the most productive Phillies player down the stretch.
What was once thought to be an impossible feat for him to accomplish after his early-season slump, he will surprise everyone and reach the 30-homer and 100-RBI thresholds for the second time in his career.