The Philadelphia Phillies addressed the team’s outfield defensive struggles at the trade deadline, acquiring Harrison Bader as a rental piece from the Minnesota Twins.
Bader has been excellent since joining the Phillies at the plate, and while his offensive numbers may regress, his defensive metrics have remained consistent throughout his career as one of the league’s best outfielders.
While Bader has seen an uptick in playing time, it has come at the expense of Nick Castellanos, who has transitioned to not playing full-time for the first time in his 13-year career.
During Friday’s 2–1 win over the Atlanta Braves, Castellanos was removed from the game with Bader taking over as a defensive replacement—an adjustment that irritated the veteran.
Asked postgame how the reduced playing time has affected him, Castellanos said, “It’s a big adjustment,” via MLB.com’s Paul Casella.
Phillies Weigh Postseason Roles as Castellanos’ Playing Time Diminishes
Ahead of Saturday’s game against Atlanta, Phillies manager Rob Thomson addressed Castellanos’ frustration and whether he believed the veteran could adapt to his changing role.
“Nick just wants to play. And that’s it. I think most guys get frustrated when they come out of the game or don’t play. Because they want to play and that’s normal,” Thomson said.
With Philadelphia sitting atop the NL East and just a month remaining in the regular season, Thomson is likely evaluating how to manage postseason matchups—where Bader will almost certainly replace Castellanos in the outfield late in games.
Castellanos is also experiencing a down season at the plate, posting a .253 batting average, .294 on-base percentage, and .700 OPS through 128 games. Given his respect and commitment to the franchise over his four-year tenure, Thomson may be giving Castellanos opportunities based more on loyalty than performance.
It’s undeniable that Bader is the superior defender, and his bat has also been hot—slashing .313/.397/.890 in 23 games with the Phillies. In a potential postseason matchup against a right-handed pitcher, Castellanos may be the odd man out, with Bader in center field and Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler occupying the corners.
