May 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Phillies Bench Nick Castellanos for 'Inappropriate Comment' That 'Crossed a Line'

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 5:16 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies are gearing up for their second contest against the Miami Marlins, and they are looking to win their sixth consecutive game.

But they'll have to do it without Nick Castellanos in the starting lineup.

The slugging right fielder hasn't missed a game since Sept. 30, 2023, starting in all 162 last season and all 72 so far this campaign before this decision.

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Because of that, there were questions about why the ironman would be out of the lineup.

Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic reported that this is a disciplinary reason, with manager Rob Thomson deciding to bench Castellanos for Tuesday's game due to comments that he made after he was pulled on Monday.

Nick Castellanos was withheld from today’s lineup for making an inappropriate comment after he was pulled from yesterday’s game, Rob Thomson said.
— Charlotte Varnes (@charlottevarnes) June 17, 2025

Castellanos said "he was unhappy with being pulled from yesterday's game, then spoke his mind," according to Varnes, with Thomson later stating that he told Castellanos that "he'd crossed a line" with the comments that were made.

After the top of the eighth inning, when Castellanos flied out to center to open the frame, Thomson made defensive substitutions for the bottom of the inning, with Castellanos getting pulled, Johan Rojas taking over in center field, Brandon Marsh moving to left and Max Kepler shifting to right.

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At the time, it was a two-run game, so it made sense why this move was made.

However, despite the defensive concerns about Castellanos, Thomson has largely trusted the veteran in the field even during important spots.

Overall, this bit of news about the comments made and his benching comes at an interesting time.

Following a rough start to June that had everyone scratching their heads about why the Phillies were playing so poorly, this hot stretch they're on right now has them right back in the NL East race as one of the best teams in Major League Baseball.

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Are things fractured in Philadelphia's clubhouse?

Only time will tell.

But it seems like this was just an outburst that Thomson had to address, choosing to bench Castellanos for a mid-June game against the Marlins that could allow everyone to move past this incident.

For more Phillies news, head over to Phillies On SI.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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