The Philadelphia Phillies knew there would be some tough decisions to make in the offseason, but have missed out on a lot of players they’ve been linked to.
However, not every player on the current roster fits into those plans, and it’ll likely have an impact on the remainder of the winter.
As the Phillies continue to evaluate their outfield and designated hitter situation, Nick Castellanos continues to be a name to monitor. Castellanos has been in trade rumors a good bit over the past few years, but the idea of another team trading for him seems challenging.
According to Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report, the Athletics could emerge as a possible suitor if Philadelphia just wants to cut ties with him, which it does.
“The A's apparent willingness to take on money could make them another potential fit for Castellanos. Castellanos slashed .250/.294/.400 last season with 17 home runs and 72 RBI in 147 games for the Phillies. His defense suffered in right field as he recorded minus-12 outs above average in 2025, per Baseball Savant.
“The Phillies already have Castellanos' replacement in right fielder Adolis García, who signed with the club in December, and the DH spot is occupied by Kyle Schwarber. A team with a hole at DH could consider exclusively bringing him in for his offensive contributions, especially if the Phillies make his remaining salary a more affordable prospect,” she wrote.
Castellanos can still swing it some, but he isn’t the middle-of-the-order slugger that he once was. Factor that in with not much of a place to play and being a headache, and it’s best to move on.
With Adolis Garcia now penciled into right field and Schwarber locked into the DH role, Castellanos seriously has nowhere to play now. Defensively, there’s an argument that he’s the worst defender in the sport.
The Athletics are in a different phase, but they also might not have much of a reason to land him.
They already have one of the best lineups in baseball and if they plan to give up any assets in a trade, it should only be for a starter or a third baseman.