Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson benched Nick Castellanos for the team's 8-3 loss to the Miami Marlins for making an "inappropriate comment" in the prior game. What exactly was said remains a mystery, but suffice to say that the veteran outfielder wasn't wild about being removed in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement. Regardless, it didn't take long for Castellanos' absence to be felt ... in the most critical moment in Tuesday's contest, at that.
With a runner on third and the Phillies trailing, 4-3, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards hit a shallow fly ball to right-center field, where Castellanos typically resides. It should've been a routine catch to end the frame and stop the bleeding for a Phillies squad that just allowed two runs to surrender the lead. Instead, an inexcusable blunder occurred that cost Philadelphia dearly.
What do you think just went through Nick Castellanos’s head? pic.twitter.com/pwFy84KXXd
— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) June 18, 2025
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Rob Thomson's choice to make an example out of Nick Castellanos aged like milk – and fast
With two outs and a runner on third in a one-run ballgame, Castellanos' replacement in right, Max Kepler, appeared to lose sight of the ball in the lights. Phillies reliever Tanner Banks was probably at ease as it was in the air, thinking he'd gotten his club out of a jam. Alas, Edwards ultimately ended up driving in Marlins utility man Javier Sanoja to double Miami's lead.
As Alex McCrystal of Barstool Sports pondered, what could've been going through Castellanos' mind when seeing this? Having truth serum would come in handy at a time like this; we all want to hear the two-time All-Star's candid reaction.
Castellanos had made 236 consecutive starts for Philadelphia before getting benched. He was a staple in their lineup every day since Sept. 30, 2023. Thomson relentlessly snapped the streak, only to have it blow up in his face almost immediately. However, Phillies fans ostensibly aren't alone in being frustrated with the skipper's decision — and the outcome. The slugger's mother, Michelle, aired her grievances in a since-deleted post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Nick Castellanos' mom isn't happy with Rob Thomson's choice to bench her son
"Hmmmmm," Mrs. Castellanos wrote, accompanied by the thinking face emoji. Like all of us, she's wondering if her son would've made the same mistake had he been out there. Someone should put the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme song over Kepler's lowlight, and that someone should be Mama Castellanos.
Castellanos will presumably be back in the lineup for Wednesday's series finale, and you can't blame for Thomson for trying to bring some order to his clubhouse. But this will hardly help his reputation among a fan base that already thinks he's out of touch and not the right man to get this team over the hump.