Nick Castellanos, whose career appeared to be in some jeopardy after revelations regarding his split with the Philadelphia Phillies emerged, will join the San Diego Padres, the New York Post first reported.
Castellanos, 33, is owed $20 million in the final year of his five-year, $100 million contract. But the Phillies will pay all but the pro-rated minimum salary after they released him.
The two-time All-Star fell out of favor in Philadelphia as his four years there progressed, coming to a head in 2025. The low point: His one-game benching after confronting manager Rob Thomson when he was removed from a game in Miami.
Shortly after his release, Castellanos revealed in a lengty handwritten note posted to social media that he'd brought a beer into the dugout. Teammates interceded and Phillies special assistant Howie Kendrick took the bottle from Castellanos.
His handwritten screed was intended to get ahead of a story in The Athletic detailing that incident and the growing rift between player and team.
Castellanos had a league average 100 adjusted OPS in his four seasons, and reached an apex there in 2023, when he made the All-Star team and hit four home runs in the Phillies' NLDS vanquishing of Atlanta.
In San Diego, he will fold into an odd mix of outfield/first base/DH types, presuming he makes the team. The club recently signed Miguel Andujar and also has lefty-swinging Gavin Sheets penciled in to take significant DH at-bats.
If nothing else, Castellanos provides more quality outfield depth behind the starting trio of Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Ramon Laureano.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nick Castellanos Padres contract after Phillies release