No, Nick Castellanos Is Not Good Cubs Fit
In a not-so-shocking move on Thursday, the Phillies released outfielder Nick Castellanos. The 33-year-old is owed $20 million by the Phillies this season, which is the final year of his five-year contract.
The Phillies are releasing Nick Castellanos.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) February 12, 2026
Following a below-average season in 2025, it became clear that Castellanos would not return to the Phillies after the offseason. The team tried to trade him and get some sort of package in return but had no luck finding a trade partner.
During the 2025 season, Castellanos posted a 90 wRC+, the worst mark of his career. He struggled to take walks, struck out at a 22.6% rate, and had a 40.2% chase rate that was among the worst in baseball.
Defensively, Castellanos is virtually unplayable. He manned right field for 143 games, posting -12 outs above average. He has never been strong defensively, and that will make finding a new team even harder, because contenders will likely view him as a designated hitter only.
As happens whenever a former Cub becomes available, Cubs fans immediately asked for Castellanos to return to Chicago. After being acquired by the Cubs at the 2019 trade deadline, Castellanos posted a 153 OPS+ on the North Side, with 16 home runs and 21 doubles in just 51 games.
As of right now, Seiya Suzuki is the Cubs’ right fielder on Opening Day. Bringing Castellanos back would mean Suzuki moves to the designated hitter spot, putting Moisés Ballesteros on the bench. If Castellanos were still hitting at an acceptable rate, it would be a reasonable move. However, that is not the case.
The 2026 Cubs are much better off letting Suzuki play right field and giving both him and Ballesteros plenty of playing time. Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick are also competing for a bench spot during Spring Training, which is yet another reason why signing Castellanos does not fit with the team’s plans.
Reminiscing about the past is fun, but signing Castellanos is not wise, given the current construction of the Cubs, who are trying to win a World Series with what they believe to be an extremely competitive roster.
