Highly motivated, Nick Castellanos is likely to have a great year in San Diego during the 2026 season. 

Nick Castellanos had an interesting start to his 2026 baseball season.

At first, he was a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, looking to rebound after a down year. He had appeared in 75 of the Phillies’ last 90 games and was hit to the tune of a .133 average while only managing three RBIs in the NLDS loss to the Dodgers.

Fast forward some time later, and the Phillies advised Castellanos that he shouldn’t report to camp amid rumors. Reports that they were looking to trade the star outfielder. After six days of searching for a trade partner to no avail, Nick Castellanos would be released from the Phillies.

It would only take two days after being released for the San Diego Padres to reach out and come to terms with Castellanos on a one-year league minimum deal. All while the Phillies would be footing the majority of the money he’s still owed.

After hearing the news that Castellanos would be joining the Padres, long-time captain of the team, Manny Machado, had this to say about him,

“Me and Nick go way back. Born and raised in Miami, playing together since we were little kids. You know, you couldn’t ask for a better teammate to come here and be a part of it.”

After arriving in Peoria and donning the Brown and Gold for the first time, you would think that Catellanos has all the motivation to be a productive member of the team; a change of scenery, new teammates, all while playing on essentially a one-year prove-it deal in America’s Finest City.

Then, early Wednesday morning, a report by Jayson Starks from The Athletic is published. A total of 36 league executives, along with baseball insiders, voted Nick Castellanos as the “best subtraction” this offseason.

Their reasoning: Castellanos wasn’t much help for the Phillies.

He hit at a career low of .250 in 2025. That, along with the fact that he was statistically one of the worst defenders in all of MLB. With only one year left and roughly $20 million on his contract, Castellanos was deemed expendable. The addition of Adolis Garcia in the offseason made getting rid of Castellanos a smart move that would help make the Phillies better.

Everyone has a down year. It happens in sports all the time. Yet, to be named the “best subtraction” is a slap in the face for anyone. Especially Nick Castellanos. While he may not be everyone’s cup of tea, players who knew him have nothing but positive things to say about him.

Phillies star slugger Kyle Schwarber sent nothing but well-wishes for his former Phillies teammate when he reported to camp,

“We’ve had a lot of really good memories over here the last four years and he’s had some really big moments with us.. Hopefully wherever he goes next, he’s able to keep going out there and keep doing his thing and keep having those big moments.”

While the “Friar Faithful” are eagerly optimistic about the newest signing, one person in particular is really looking forward to the new adventure in San Diego. That would be his son, Liam.

During his introductory presser with the local media, Nick was asked about his family’s reaction upon learning that he was signing with the Padres, and with a smile, Nick had this to say about Liam’s reaction,

“This is Liam’s favorite city, so he was probably the most excited, um, I know he wishes that it wasn’t as far as it is from Florida, but it is what it is.”

And when he was asked about what makes San Diego Liam’s favorite place,

“That’s a good question, you’re gonna have to ask him when he comes. I know he likes the tacos in Gaslamp, he’s a huge Fernando fan, um, I just think the environment of, you know like “Slam Diego” and all that, you know he’s 12, so he likes the flash and everything.”

All in all, Nick Castellanos gets the chance to bounce back after a rough 2025 season in a new situation. All while getting an opportunity to show that he’s not “best subtraction”, but rather, he’s the best addition to a team that’s looking to build upon back-to-back playoff appearances. A franchise with the ultimate goal of bringing the first title to San Diego.

Jordan Irizarry

Jordan Irizarry is a fan of the game.
Whether it’s football, hockey or “America’s past time”, he’s always locked into watching his favorite team. After getting a small taste in journalism by covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he’s now looking to “dip his foot” in the baseball world by covering the San Diego Padres. Whether it’s stats and facts or just pure fandom, Jordan is looking to bring his love of the game to you.