Padres' Nick Castellanos Sends Clear Message Ahead of Matchup vs Phillies

San Diego Padres star Nick Castellanos is ready to leave the past in the past.

The Padres are set to face the Philadelphia Phillies Monday afternoon at Petco Park. For most of Castellanos' teammates, it's just another series in a long 162-game season.

For Castellanos, it's a blast from the not so distant past.

The Phillies released the All-Star ahead of the 2026 season, despite owing him $20 million. It was evident the organization was eager to part ways with Castellanos after a tumultuous 2025 campaign that featured the veteran bringing a beer into the dugout during a game and strained relationships with manager Rob Thomson.

“As a veteran of the game of baseball, there are rules, and I broke one in Miami,” Castellanos posted on Instagram last June. “After being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family, I brought a presedente [sic] into the dugout. I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning. Shoutout to my teammates and Howie [Kendrick, assistant GM, who was in the dugout] for taking the beer out of my hands before I could take a sip.”

The future for the 34-year-old seemed uncertain.

Then, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller signed Castellanos to the league minimum salary.

As Castellanos prepares to face the team he spent four seasons with, he was available in the clubhouse to speak to the media. That included reporters from Philadelphia, who were eager to discuss the dramatic departure from the winter.

A stoic Castellanos kept his answers concise.

“I’m excited to see a lot of my guys, for sure," he said in response to if he had any new emotions or feelings in this series.

As for whether Castellanos felt some way about facing the team that released him only a few months ago, which he replied: “I’m happy to see everybody, man.”

The veteran was once again asked about his new role with the Padres, which saw him get less playing time early in the year. A recurring theme for Castellanos has been the improvement of communication since joining the Padres.

He reiterated the point Monday.

“Communication, for sure," Castellanos said of why he's enjoyed his new role in San Diego.

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

Castellanos was also asked to reflect on his time in Philadelphia.

"Great man, it was a lot of winning," Castellanos said. "Obviously we fell short of winning a World Series, which is the ultimate goal. But I mean, four straight trips to the postseason, deep into the postseason, a lot of memorable moments, a lot of sad moments. It's gonna be a part of my life that I remember forever."

As for how it ended?

"It is what it is," Castellanos said. "I don't have no hard feelings for it."

The Phillies arrived to Petco Park with a new manager after the team fired Thomson a few weeks ago. Don Mattingly is the new skipper for the team, and Philadelphia has been playing much better as of late.

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