Former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos found a new club just days after his notorious exit from Philadelphia last week. The San Diego Padres picked up the inexpensive tab on Castellanos and now will fit him into their plans for the outfield with a part-time role at first base (subscription required). Although Castellanos will be playing in the NL West, he'll have to show his face around the Phillies this year as an opponent for the first time since his release.
Like every season, the Phillies will play two series against the Padres this year, one on the road and one at home.
The Phillies will get their first look at Castellanos in a Padres uniform for the first time in May, during a three-game series in San Diego from May 25-27. The series will start on Memorial Day Monday at 6:40 p.m. ET. Tuesday's game will start at 9:40 p.m. ET before the series concludes on Wednesday at 4:10 p.m. ET.
Phillies fans have to wait until June to 'welcome' Nick Castellanos back to Citizens Bank Park
It will be bittersweet, but mostly sweet for Phillies fans to witness Castellanos on someone else's roster in May, but it's not what the fans will be truly waiting for. That comes in early June with Castellanos' infamous return to Citizens Bank Park for a three-game set from June 2-4. It's a mid-week series from Tuesday to Thursday, with the first two nights having 6:40 p.m. ET start times and Thursday's series finale starting at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Phillies fans will flood CBP not only for the juiced NL matchup but also to give Castellanos an unrelenting earful over the course of three hours a night. It's too far into the future to know if Castellanos will take his place in right field, like he did for three and a half seasons in Philadelphia, but if he so happens to wander out there, fans will be in his ear, dishing out all kinds of banter for however long he takes the field.
Castellanos had a career-worst year in 2025 with a .250 batting average and a near-league-worst .694 OPS. His career-low OPS also ranked 123rd out of 145 qualified MLB batters. Of the 41 qualified outfielders in 2025, Castellanos came in 36th.
The veteran not only was becoming unplayable but was becoming a cancer in the clubhouse simultaneously. Fans don't take kindly to any player being that kind of problem on a team that has lofty expectations of a World Series championship.
Castellanos himself admitted to taking a beer into the dugout on a June night in Miami after getting pulled for a defensive replacement, but his toxicity ran much deeper than just one bad judgment call in a moment of weakness. Phillies fans, along with the organization, grew tired of his antics and now will get their chance, close to the anniversary of the "Miami incident," to air out their grievances in real time. Nobody will want to switch places with Castellanos that night, and it will be a sight to see just months from now.