MLB Rumors: 3 Ohtani favorites, shocking Phillies trade idea, Orioles ace trade?

MLB Rumors: Could the Phillies trade on from Nick Castellanos?

The Philadelphia Phillies were close to winning the National League pennant for the second consecutive year. With a 3-2 NL Championship Series lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks, all they had to do was pick up a win at home to secure a World Series berth. The problem is the team lost 5-1 in Game 6 and 4-2 in Game 7 to get eliminated from the postseason.

With that, the Phillies have to figure out what to do with their roster before the 2024 season. After all, they could lose two mainstays in starting pitcher Aaron Nola and first baseman Rhys Hoskins this winter. But could they explore moving on from one of their big players?

Inside the Phillies' Brad Wakai floated the idea of the team trading outfielder Nick Castellanos to free up money to spend in the offseason.

"If Dombrowski feels like he can upgrade the roster by making trades, Castellanos is likely first on the list to be shipped out of town.

"The Phillies' executive has made it clear that they are looking to add more pitching depth, whether that's by re-signing Aaron Nola or adding more pieces in free agency. Getting Castellanos' contract off the books could help them meet the large figure that Nola will be looking for this offseason."

Back in 2022, the Phillies signed Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million contract in hopes that he would contribute in the postseason. As Wakai points out in the article linked above, Castellanos really hasn't done that. While he did shine in the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves this year with four home runs in the four-game series, Castellanos was just 1-for-24 with 11 strikeouts in the NLCS against the Diamondbacks.

If the Phillies were to move on from Castellanos, however, he is still owed $60 million over the next three seasons. After all, his entire contract is fully guaranteed. The Phillies would need a team to either take on the remaining salary, or eat some of it.