Nick Castellanos may have a tough time finding a new team

The marriage between outfielder Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies is finally over.

After telling him not to join the team in spring training on Wednesday, the Phillies officially released Castellanos on Thursday. The Phillies will be on the hook for the remaining $20 million on his contract, excluding the league minimum, should Castellanos sign elsewhere.

Castellanos struggled through the worst season of his career in 2025. He posted a .250/.294/.400 batting line in his 589 plate appearances, hitting 17 homers and 27 doubles. However, he had been a solid option in the lineup in 2023 and 2024, posting a .263/.311/.454 batting line with 52 homers and 67 doubles in his 1,330 plate appearances in that timeframe.

Lack of production, attitude may limit options for Nick Castellanos

The Phillies were not shy about their intentions with Castellanos this offseason, stating publicly that he would either be traded or released. Dylan Svoboda of the New York Post reported on Thursday that the Yankees considered trading for Castellanos earlier in the offseason but were "talked out of it" due to mixed reviews. 

The Yankees are not the only team that decided to pass on Castellanos. Beat writer Isaac Azout reported that the Marlins have no interest in the outfielder despite their efforts to improve the lineup. While teams such as the Guardians, Red Sox or Rockies would make sense on paper, the circumstances surrounding his departure from Philadelphia could push teams away.

Castellanos could help a major league team in the right circumstances. He has hammered left-handed pitching during his career and could fill a platoon role on a new team. The question is whether or not another team would have interest in his services, even for the league minimum.