Nick Castellanos Reacts to Phillies Firing Rob Thomson Amid Matchup With Philadelphia

The San Diego Padres have dropped the first two games of their three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies in disappointing fashion.

For the majority of the roster, these are just regular games on the schedule. But for veteran Nick Castellanos, it has been his first chance to face off against his former team since a controversial exit over the offseason.

The Padres have given Castellanos the chance to play against the Phillies in the first two games, but the veteran has gone 0-for-5 at the plate. Philadelphia has been able to neutralize the former All-Star, continuing his struggles at the plate this year.

The Phillies have been one of the hottest teams of late following the decision to fire manager Rob Thompson in late April. Before his firing, the team held a record of 9-19; now they sit at 28-27 under veteran manager Don Mattingly.

Castellanos was asked his thoughts on the firing of Thomson this week by Philadelphia reporters. The two had a shaky relationship that boiled over last year, but Castellanos show to talk about the Mattinglys.

“The decision is not mine to make, but when they put Don into the manager’s seat, my thought was, ‘right man, right spot,’” Castellanos said. “I think the fact that a father gets to work underneath his son is a beautiful thing.

"I think that baseball is like a personal, family, authentic game. I mean, honestly, what more of an authentic, genuine relationship can you have when you have a father like Don Mattingly and also a son like Preston who I’ve been able to form a relationship over the years and [see] how he goes about his business? I think it’s a beautiful thing.”

Nick Castellanos talks about his time with the Phillies, the way his tenure ended in Philadelphia, communication with the Padres, and the Phillies managerial switch from Rob Thomson to Don Mattingly ahead of the Padres-Phillies series. pic.twitter.com/b1pzxfZB3B
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) May 25, 2026

The move from Philadelphia was clearly the right one, at least to this point. But Castellanos has been trying to move on from his time with the Phillies in the best way he can.

The veteran was prepared to return to the Phillies for the 2026 season, but the team had other plans. Castellanos then quickly latched on with the Padres, and he's been trying to turn a new leaf in San Diego.

His character was questioned following his exit with the team, with the media in Philadelphia calling him out. But the Padres have been very supportive of the veteran so far, and he has been appreciative of that fact.

So far this season, Castellanos has been forced to adjust to a new reality of not playing every day, and it's taken a toll on him. Overall, the slugger has hit .182 with four home runs and 19 runs batted in, while putting up an OPS of .552.

Castellanos will make his return to Philadelphia next week, when the Padres take on the Phillies from June 2-4. This could bring up some emotions for the veteran, even if he's tried his hardest to put the past to bed.

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