Phillies Release Nick Castellanos After ‘Miami Incident’ Revelation

The Phillies moved on from Nick Castellanos before spring training fully opened, releasing the veteran outfielder after failing to find a trade partner. Hours later, Castellanos explained the moment that helped fracture his relationship with the club.

In a handwritten note posted to social media, Castellanos admitted he brought a beer into the dugout during a June 2025 game in Miami after the manager replaced him for defense. He said teammates stopped him before he drank it.

What Happened in Miami

Castellanos described the scene after the manager removed him late in a close game against the Marlins near his hometown of Davie, Florida.

“After being taked out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a Presidente into the dugout,” he wrote. “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.”

Manager Rob Thomson had previously said Castellanos made an “inappropriate comment” that led to a one-game benching the following day. Castellanos now revealed that bringthe beer into the dugout played a role in the discipline.

He added that he later met with Thomson and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, where he apologized for letting emotions take over.

End of a $100 Million Tenure

The release ends Castellanos’ five-year, $100 million contract with Philadelphia Phillies one season early. The club still owes him $20 million, minus the prorated league minimum if he signs elsewhere.

Castellanos, who turns 34 in March, hit .250 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs across 147 games last season as the Phillies won the NL East. Despite steady production, communication with Thomson had grown strained, with Castellanos saying in September that it had been “questionable, at least in my experience.”

Phillies’ Right Field Plans

Philadelphia already lined up a replacement. Adolis García signed a one-year, $10 million deal in December and is expected to take over right field when camp opens.

Castellanos closed his note by thanking fans in Philadelphia for their support over four seasons, acknowledging both cheers and boos as part of the experience.

The split, it turns out, traces back not just to words in Miami, but to a moment in the dugout that neither side could fully move past.

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