After rough start, Phillies $100M man proves he's worth every penny
When the Philadelphia Phillies signed right fielder Nick Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million contract in the 2022 offseason, they hoped he could pick up where he left off the previous year. In 2021, Castellanos had a career season by batting .309 with 34 home runs and 100 RBI for the Cincinnati Reds.
His first year in Philadelphia, however, was a massive struggle. He only hit 13 home runs and drove in 62 runs. He was a non-factor in the Phillies' postseason run, hitting .185 with no homers and seven RBI over 17 games. In Game 6 of the World Series, Castellanos popped out to end the game, giving the Houston Astros their second championship.
Coming into the 2023 season, the pressure was on for Castellanos to live up to his contract. He responded by hitting 29 home runs and leading the Phillies with 170 hits and a career-best 106 RBI.
It's also safe to say that he's learned from last year's playoff struggles. Through six games this postseason, Castellanos is batting .391 with four home runs and five RBI. He's even started his own celebration, flashing his ring finger at his teammates in a gesture that barely keeps the FCC at bay.
On Thursday, the Phillies eliminated the Atlanta Braves for a second straight postseason by winning Game 4 of the National League Division Series, 3-1. Castellanos replicated his Game 3 performance by hitting two solo home runs. According to Stathead from Baseball Reference, Castellanos is the fifth player in major league history with two multi-homer games in one postseason. He's the first player to do so in consecutive games.
Standing alone with a statistical feat never seen in 120 previous postseasons isn't a bad way for a player to redeem himself after a tough first season. This time last year, Phillies fans had serious buyer's remorse about Castellanos. Now, he's worth every penny.
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