Nick Castellanos said on May 25 that he holds no hard feelings toward the Philadelphia Phillies after his release from the team earlier this year. Castellanos, who signed with the San Diego Padres for the league minimum following his departure, addressed reporters before a game between the two National League contenders.
“It is what it is — I don’t have no hard feelings for it,” Castellanos said. “They’re an organization that’s doing what they feel like is necessary for them to win, and they’re making decisions. And that led me to San Diego. I’m enjoying myself and getting to be teammates with new guys. Everything happens for a reason.”
Castellanos described his time in Philadelphia as positive overall despite its difficult ending, saying, “Great, man, there was a lot of winning… But it’s going to be a part of my life that I remember forever.” He acknowledged reports about tensions with some teammates and an incident involving bringing a beer into the dugout during a game last June. Castellanos explained he has learned from those experiences: “I just had a lot of pent-up emotion and frustration that all came out pretty colorfully in the moment… If I feel something that upsets me or doesn’t sit right, I’m doing better at just saying it immediately then.”
He also commented on changes within the Phillies since his release, including Don Mattingly replacing Rob Thomson as manager: “The decision is not mine to make,” he said. “But when they put Don into the manager seat, my thought was: right man, right spot.”
The Philadelphia Phillies are charter members of Major League Baseball’s National League and have played home games at Citizens Bank Park since 2004; their operations are overseen by executives including their chief executive officer and general manager; they represent Philadelphia in Major League Baseball competition while engaging fans locally and nationally; and their World Series victories occurred in 1980 and 2008, according to the official website.
Castellanos concluded by focusing on his current situation with San Diego: “Obviously it led to me being in a tough spot at the end… But at the end of the day, I’m here. I’m in this clubhouse. This staff is great. They’ve really embraced me. I feel like the players have really embraced me.”
