Nick Castellanos could apologize on national television, paired with his own home run to deep left field – none of it would matter. Castellanos made the rare mistake of dismissing Phillies fans late Monday night following a Game 2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Castellanos and his teammates are evidently tired of being booed. That list of players is growing by the game. This is Philadelphia we're talking about, remember?
Yet, the Phillies have only won one of their last six home playoff games dating back to last season. As I wrote earlier on Tuesday, Castellanos was, ironically enough, responsible for that victory – he hit a walk-off home run against the Mets in last year's NLDS. However, for the most part, the Phillies have wasted their fans' time the last three postseasons. They were favored to make and win the World Series in 2023 once reaching the NLCS, but blew an early series lead to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They were favored against the Mets, only to lose the series 3-1. And now they're one game away from being swept by the Dodgers.
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What did Nick Castellanos say to rile up Phillies fans?
Phillies fans made their voices heard in Game 2. Despite a ninth-inning comeback, the Dodgers result appeared in hand for much of the game. Because of this, multiple Phillies stars were booed, including Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber. The former wasn't happy, and let it be known postgame in a passive-aggressive way.
“I think that the stadium is alive on both sides, right?” Castellanos said, per The Philadelphia Inquirer. “When the game is going good, it’s wind at our back, but when the game is not going good, it’s wind in our face. The environment can be with us, and the environment can be against us.”
Based on mannerisms and tone alone, Castellanos made it pretty clear he didn't enjoy being booed. He also failed to take the Phillies fanbase's point of view into account.
“When everything’s going good and you’re rolling it’s a [pain] to play here when you’re an opposing team because the environment is amazing,” Castellanos added. “But if we run into adversity and the tide shifts and now we’re playing more tight because we don’t want to be reprimanded for something bad.”
This...isn't a good answer. Castellanos is essentially admitting that Phillies players perform worse when booed, or the second they run into any adversity. That is the opposite of winning baseball, and certainly not indicative of a team that expects to win the World Series this October.
Bryce Harper defends Phillies fans: What it means for Castellanos?
Bryce Harper, who is a fan favorite and in the midst of a 13-year, $330 million contract, said what Castellanos wouldn't on Tuesday from Los Angeles. Harper's had his own struggles as a Phillie, but has for the most part come up huge when the team needed him the most. The same can be said for Schwarber, but Phillies fans are among the most passionate in baseball. Postseason game ticket prices are astronomical these days. If fans want to boo, they should be able to, assuming it's justified. In the case of the Phillies, it certainly has been.
“I love the Bank. I love the fans. I boo myself if I get out. If we deserve to be booed, they spend their hard earned dollars to support us, they expect greatness out of us. We’ve got some of the best fans of baseball. they make me play better. I enjoy it," Harper said.
That's exactly what Harper should say. He can take the heat when needed, which is why he's perfect for Philadelphia. It also speaks to Castellanos' status on this Phillies team long term. Castellanos has just one year left on his contract, while Harper is signed well into his late-30's. He can afford to get booed. Castellanos cannot, as the fanbase turning against him may be the final straw for a player who's been linked to trades out of town for the better part of a year.