Nick Castellanos signs with the Padres

It's been just under 48 hours since Nick Castellanos was released by the Phillies. We knew the club was trying to trade him before spring practice, but no one wanted him in a deal.

So the Phillies simply decided to let him go… which led to his admission that he brought a beer into the dugout during a game.

The question now was whether any team would decide to take a chance on Castellanos. We know he's on the decline and that there are reasons to be concerned about his presence in the locker room, but he has proven in the past that he can help a lineup.

And in the end, there was indeed a team that took a chance on him: the San Diego Padres, who signed him to a minimum salary contract worth $780,000.

The Phillies had to pay the balance to get him to $20 million this year anyway, so it was in the best interest of both Castellanos and the Padres to have the new contract at the minimum salary.

The San Diego Padres take a flier on recently released OF Nick Castellanos, paying him the minimum $780,000 salary, with the Phillies still responsible for $19.22 million of his salary in 2026. @JonHeyman on it.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 14, 2026

It should be noted that Castellanos, when he plays defense, is generally a right fielder. Except that in San Diego, that position is occupied by a certain Fernando Tatis Jr., who is possibly one of the best defensive players in the sport.

But the Padres clearly have a plan for Castellanos. And according to Jon Heyman, that plan is to have him play as a designated hitter, first baseman, and outfielder.

Perhaps in right field when Tatis Jr. needs days off… or simply in left field.

Castellanos will be some combo of DH, 1B, and OF for the Padres. RF is booked, obviously. Signed pending physical.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 14, 2026

We'll see if Castellanos, who will turn 34 in less than a month, will be able to contribute to the Padres' success this year. It's not a very risky bet, but things had gotten really tough for him (and for the Phillies) at the end of his time in Philadelphia.

Will the change of scenery do him good? We'll find out in the coming months.

This content was created with the help of AI.