Phillies’ Nick Castellanos Benched After ‘Inappropriate Comment’ by Manager Rob Thomson
Nick Castellanos, the Philadelphia Phillies’ star outfielder, was benched for the upcoming game against the Miami Marlins following a heated exchange with manager Rob Thomson. The manager cited an ‘inappropriate comment’ Castellanos made, which prompted the decision to sit him for at least one game. Max Kepler and Johan Rojas will take over the right and center field positions, respectively, as the team adjusts to the change.
The incident occurred after Castellanos was pulled from Monday’s contest. Thomson explained that the decision to bench Castellanos was based on the comment made by the player, which he found inappropriate. "One of the many things about Nick that I love is that he’s very emotional," Thomson said. "He loves to play, and he loves to play every inning of every game. I just thought last night he made an inappropriate comment after he came out, and so today, he’s not going to play. And I’m going to leave it at that."
Castellanos, who had been a consistent presence in the lineup since September 2023, expressed his disappointment with the decision, stating that he spoke his mind and that the manager has the final say on player availability. "I wasn’t happy about it. Spoke my mind," Castellanos said, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He said that I crossed a line. So, my punishment is I’m not playing."
He also acknowledged that the manager has the final say on who does and doesn’t play in a particular game. "It’s his decision. He’s the manager," Castellanos said, according to The Athletic.
Castellanos, who signed a massive, five-year contract with the Phillies in 2022, has a .278 batting average and has hit seven home runs in 72 games this season. Prior to Tuesday, Castellanos hadn’t missed a game since Sept. 30, 2023.