Report: Phillies shopping Castellanos
The Philadelphia Phillies put one of their highest-paid players on the block as they look to reshape their outfield.
Nick Castellanos is available in trade talks, sources told Matt Gelb of The Athletic. While the Phillies are open to trading Castellanos, no deal is imminent and it's not clear who his potential suitors could be.
His contract also hinders a potential trade. The outfielder is owed $40 million over the next two seasons, and the Phillies would likely have to pay down a large chunk of the remaining money, according to Gelb. Castellanos does not own a no-trade clause, per Cot's Contracts.
Castellanos signed a five-year, $100-million contract with the Phillies before the 2022 season on the heels of a Silver Slugger-winning campaign in Cincinnati. The 32-year-old was an All-Star in 2023 and slugged 23 homers this past year while appearing in all 162 regular-season games as well as four playoff contests.
However, his Phillies tenure has fallen short of expectations overall. Castellanos owns a .263/.309/.435 slash line in Philadelphia and has yet to post an OPS above .788 despite playing in the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Park. His outfield defense has also been poor, with a career-worst minus-11 defensive runs saved in 2024.
The Phillies appear ready to shake up their roster following their early playoff exit, targeting the outfield for improvements. Philadelphia is reportedly non-tendering Austin Hays, who struggled after joining the club in a midseason trade. The Phillies are also reportedly meeting with superstar free agent Juan Soto.
With Hays gone, the Phillies' outfield consists of Castellanos in right, Johan Rojas in center, and a platoon of Brandon Marsh and Weston Wilson in left. Any outfield upgrades likely have to come from outside the organization; top prospect Justin Crawford is expected to need more development time, while the Phillies won't move Bryce Harper back to the outfield, according to Gelb.
Philadelphia reportedly put third baseman Alec Bohm on the trade block earlier this offseason. The team has also been gauging interest in left-hander Ranger Suárez, Gelb reports.