Padres Facing Nick Castellanos Decision After Roster Move

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Padres Facing Nick Castellanos Decision After Roster Move

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nicholas Covone | Last updated Jun 1, 2026 3:44 PM ET

The San Diego Padres are currently facing a decision about outfielder Nick Castellanos after their call up of prospect Jase Bowen.

The Padres acquired Castellanos during the offseason after his release from the Philadelphia Phillies. The Padres signed the 34-year-old to a league-minimum contract while the Phillies pay the rest of his $19.22 million salary for the final year of his contract.

Castellanos is a two-time All-Star and a former Silver Slugger Award winner. But his offensive production these past two seasons have been a far cry from those accolades.

The 2025 season saw Castellanos have arguably the worst season of his career while posting a .694 OPS. This season has not been much easier of him as he is slashing .191/.221/.339, which is good for a .560 OPS along with four home runs and 20 RBI.

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN announced on Monday that San Diego is calling up their 23rd ranked prospect Jase Bowen prior to the Padres series in Philadelphia. The outfielder has been on fire in El Paso Triple-A this season, sporting a .962 OPS with 13 home runs.

OF Jase Bowen has been called up by the Padres, per source.

He was a 2019 11th round pick from an Ohio high school that’s now set to make his big league debut.

Bowen has hit 13 HR and posted a .962 OPS in AAA in his first season for the Padres after six years with the Pirates.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) June 1, 2026

With the call up of Bowen, the Padres will have to decide a corresponding move. Castellanos could be the player DFA'd by the Padres to clear up the 40-man roster. While other options could be outfielder Bryce Johnson or infielder Sung-Mun Song. However, Castellanos is probably the clear choice here.

With Castellanos' continuous offensive downfall, he is no longer providing positive value to a team, as he is also one of the statistically worst defensive outfielders in MLB history. In 2026, Castellanos has a fielding run value of negative four which ranks in the seventh percentile in the league. While he is not qualified, Bryce Johnson is a great defender with excellent range in the outfield, despite his poor offensive statistics.

San Diego Padres right fielder Nick Castellanos (21), Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Padres as a team have struggled mightily offensively. They hold the second-worst OPS in MLB at .656, only ahead of the New York Mets. They sit in second place in the National League West division despite their poor play, but in order to catch up to the Los Angeles Dodgers they will need more production from their outfield.

Along with Castellanos, other Padres outfielders such as Fernando Tatis Jr . and Jackson Merrill have failed to find their swing this season. The call up of Bowen should help bring a spark into a team that desperately needs it.

The Padres travel to Philadelphia to face Castellanos' former team on Tuesday, with a decision looming within the next day.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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