Oct 19, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos (8) scores a run in the second inning against the San Diego Padres during game two of the NLCS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports Jayne Kamin-Oncea
Nick Castellanos spoke Sunday for the first time since signing with the San Diego Padres, and as you can imagine, his tumultuous exit from his prior employer came up.
Speaking to the media members who cover the Padres — including Marty Caswell — Castellanos was asked whether he can embrace an uncertain role that's likely to see him get reps at DH, left field and perhaps even first base.
"I definitely can embrace it," Castellanos said. "Like I'm saying, fresh start ... new group ... San Diego is a very talented team, there's a lot of veterans here. Also, the city of San Diego has never won a World Series. So however I can contribute to that and lift this team up to accomplish that goal, I'm more than willing to do so."
He then was asked to elaborate on what else made the Padres a desirable landing spot.
"I would say, it's just the people that they have," Castellanos said. "It's a veteran baseball team. They don't cut corners as far as what they do to prepare and win. Also too, is the reputation they have on how they treat their players and how they have their backs, even if something goes a little bit awry they still stand with them and they don't deviate, I guess, from their commitment to them as a person. So all those came into an account, and I'm happy to be wearing brown."
The conversation did turn to Castellanos' ugly exit from the Phillies, with the two-time All-Star replying "lovely" with a smile when informed by a reporter that much of the baseball world had an opinion on his departure from Philadelphia.
As far as what he wishes might have been different over his four years in red pinstripes, Castellanos had a pretty simple answer.
"That we would have won a World Series," Castellanos responded.
He gave a similar answer when asked if there was anything he wishes he handled differently personally.
"Winning solves everything," Castellanos said. "So I think the one thing that I wish would have ended up different is that we would have won."
Castellanos was asked about what he called in his post-release social media letter the "Miami Incident," particularly saying he "will learn from this" after he brought a beer into the dugout to show his disgust with manager Rob Thomson pulling him for a defensive replacement late in a game in his hometown.
"Well, I think when I said 'I will learn from this,' is just letting my emotions get the best of me in a moment," Castellanos said. "Possibly if I see things that frustrate me or I don't believe are conducive to winning, to speaking up when I see it instead of letting things just pile up over time and pile up over time. Finally when I address it, it's less emotional."
Castellanos had multiple moments down the stretch of the 2025 season where he publicly voiced his frustration with his dwindling role when asked about, perhaps the most notable of which came in Phoenix last September.
Nick Castellanos, on Rob Thomson’s communication:
“There’s just been times where things have been said, and then over the course of years I’ll have expectations … and actions would be different.”
(via @GraceDelPizzo) pic.twitter.com/4x4KXUALTc
Sunday, Castellanos was asked if he wishes he handled venting his frustrations in a more private manner.
"Not really," Castellanos said. "In the moment, I felt how I felt, and I spoke from the heart and was honest in every word I said. And it's not like I was outwardly ever displaying that, I kept it all inside. But when I was asked a question, I shot straight. And then people perceived it how they wanted to."
Castellanos was non-committal when asked by OnPattison about his future in Philadelphia when the Phillies were eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. He had a short, but telling response when a reporter asked Sunday if in hindsight he new his time in Philadelphia was over at the conclusion of last season.
"I had a good idea," Castellanos said
Perhaps the most interesting answer Castellanos gave pertained to his new manager Craig Stammen.
For context, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported this week that Castellanos told teammates he didn't trust Thomson and hitting coach Kevin Long "because they had never played in the majors."
With that knowledge, his quote about Stammen — who is a rookie skipper but pitched in the majors for 13 seasons — is pretty juicy.
"He's very passionate, as far as how much he cares, not only about the team but about the individuals. He seems like a family man, which I can relate to that seeing that I have a family of my own.
"And he's a player," Castellanos continued. "He's done it. He put on spikes. He's grinded. He's felt the feeling of success and also felt the feeling when the game doesn't go his way. So there's a lot of respect in that. I'm excited to do whatever he needs me to do."
The Phillies will play the Padres at Petco Park on May 25-27, before welcoming Castellanos to Citizens Bank Park from June 2-4. Certainly, those two series stand out as what will be some of the most notable games the Phillies have during the 2026 regular season.
