The Phillies Released Nick Castellanos—And Still Owe Him About $20 Million

Nick Castellanos has developed a reputation for hitting untimely home runs during broadcasts of MLB games. The outfielder's most notorious homer came in 2020, when he knocked a ball out of the park as announcer Thom Brennaman was apologizing for using a homophobic slur. Castellanos hit "a deep drive into left field," which has become a meme in MLB circles.

Since then, Castellanos has also gone deep during a eulogy for a World War II veteran, a Memorial Day game while the broadcast was honoring fallen soldiers, as the broadcast was wishing former Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel a speedy recovery after a stroke, and on the same day that baseball legend Willie Mays died. With every home run, the lore around Castellanos grows.

Alas, those dingers will have to take a break for the time being. The Phillies released Castellanos with one year remaining on his contract. He was signed to a five-year, $100 million deal with the team, so the Phillies will owe him about $20 million to go away.

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If Castellanos signs with another team during the year, he'll receive a prorated portion of the league's minimum salary, which will be $780,000 in 2026. The Phillies will be off the hook for that amount, but it's still a hefty bill for a player no longer on the roster.

It seems this breakup was a long time coming. Castellanos and Phillies manager Rob Thomson had traded barbs with each other and in the press, with Castellanos recently taking to social media to share why he was benched during a September game against the Miami Marlins. Here's what Castellanos wrote:

"After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a Presidente into the dugout. I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others was not conducive to us winning."

Castellanos added that he, Thomson, and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski met after that game to "air out our differences." Castellanos said he apologized for "letting my emotions get the best of me."

Anyone who's ever played in an adult kickball league can relate. After all, beer is encouraged and sometimes even required in those leagues. Of course, no kickball player is being paid millions of dollars like Castellanos. Luckily for him, those millions will come whether or not he's on a team this season.