Nick Castellanos out of lineup for ‘inappropriate comment’ made after being lifted for defense
Nick Castellanos is out of the Phillies’ starting lineup for the first time since game one of a doubleheader on Sept. 30, 2023. His consecutive games played streak is over at 236. It was the longest games started streak by a Phillies player since Pete Rose started in 350 consecutive games from 1980-83.
He is not in the lineup after making “an inappropriate comment” following his removal from Monday night’s game, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Lochlahn March. Castellanos was lifted in the bottom of the eighth as a defensive substitute. Max Kepler moved from left field to right field. Johan Rojas took Castellanos’ spot in the order and played center field. Brandon Marsh moved from center to left field.
Castellanos reportedly communicated his unhappiness with his manager’s decision. Rob Thomson told him that he crossed a line. Castellanos told Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic, “It’s his decision. He is the manager.”
The Phillies have occasionally pulled Castellanos out of right field when the team has had a sizable lead late. Monday was the first time this season the Phillies took Castellanos out in a close game, as the Phillies were up 3-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Kepler is batting cleanup and playing right field, with Rojas batting ninth and playing center field. Brandon Marsh is batting eighth and playing left field.
Castellanos is tied with the Athletics’ Miguel Andújar as the worst defensive outfielder in baseball, according to the Statcast metric outs above average. The Phillies right fielder spoke with Phillies Nation‘s Ty Daubert postgame on Saturday, June 14 about his defense this season and how that particular advanced metric views him, saying, “… that system’s never favored me my whole career.”
When asked whether Castellanos should have caught a fly ball near the wall in the second inning of Saturday’s win against the Toronto Blue Jays, Thomson said, “The timing was off on his jump. Usually, he makes that play.”
The Phillies right fielder disagreed. “I checked. It hit too high,” Castellanos said. “It hit like two feet higher than where my glove was.” Ernie Clement, who was credited with a double on the play, later came around to score.
In other lineup news, Bryson Stott is batting sixth and playing second base. He reportedly hyperextended his elbow on a swing-and-miss in the top of the ninth inning on Monday. Stott was checked out by the athletic training staff, but remained in the game.