Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos is making it clear that he does not approve of being taken out of games for defensive purposes.
On Friday night, in the Phillies’ 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves, Castellanos was pulled in the top of the ninth inning for Harrison Bader, a former Gold Glove center fielder.
It was not the first time Castellanos has been removed since the trade deadline, and it likely won’t be the last. While the Phillies held on to seal the victory, Castellanos made it clear that he was struggling to adhere to his lessened role.
Asked if he was still making a big adjustment, Castellanos simply said, “Yes,” per Paul Casella of MLB.com. And when a reporter followed up with how he was dealing with the situation, Castellanos responded, “The best I can.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson had a straightforward, wholly justifiable explanation for the move, which wasn’t intended as shade toward Castellanos, but certainly made his complaints seem a tad out of place.
“He makes near the last out in the eighth inning,” Thomson said, per Casella, “so we put Bader in because he’s the best defender we’ve got. …
“I think we’re all at the point now where we’re all-in. Whatever is best for the team to win a game that night, we’re all-in. Check your ego at the door and let’s go.”
Castellanos is not only a very poor outfield defender (minus-12 outs above average), but his offense is barely justifying keeping him in the lineup every day as opposed to playing some matchups here and there.
Yes, the veteran has earned his respect from the organization. But at a certain point, he’s got to get fully on board with the right moves to advance the team’s championship interests.
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