Is The Athletic correct in claiming that one of the worst baseball contracts is Castellanos’s with the Phillies?
The Athletic (subscription required) recently published an in-depth article that examined some of the worst contracts in Major League Baseball at the moment. They included a list of honorable mentions along with a ranking of the top 10 worst contracts as of right now in their analysis. Regretfully, a Philadelphia Phillies player ended up on the list. Nick Castellanos, an All-Star outfielder, is that player.
So, after just two years of the agreement, is Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic correct to label Castellanos’ five-year, $100 million contract a bust? Let’s examine his performance thus far in more detail.
After signing a contract, Castellanos’ first season with the Phillies appeared to be a mistake for the team, as he was on track to record some of his lowest totals since his first two seasons in the majors. And he batted in 136 games.263 in a depressing manner.694 OPS with only 56 RBI, 13 home runs, and runs scored.
All of this was done while hitting in the middle of the Phillies’ order, with the first three innings featuring a lengthy run in the cleanup spot.
But Castellanos bounced back, returning to his power and run-producing ways in a stellar 2023 campaign. In the regular season, he hit.272 with a.788 OPS, scored 29 home runs, collected a career-high 106 RBI, and even stole 11 bases. By doing this, he advanced to his second career All-Star game and assisted in leading the Phillies to a second straight postseason appearance.
The fact that Castellanos’ output and performance in 2023 were comparable to, or even superior to, those of some of his competitors indicates that the Phillies have been getting good value out of him.
But there have also been some obvious weaknesses in his game that, should they worsen noticeably in the upcoming years, might cause a bigger regression.
To begin with, over the previous few years, Castellanos’ strikeout rate has been steadily rising, rising from 20.7 percent in 2021 to 27.6 percent in 2023. Furthermore, in his two seasons with the ballclub, he has totaled -17 DRS, indicating that his outfield play is far from stellar. Despite throwing out eighteen baserunners in the same amount of time, he has only been useful in the field because of his powerful arm.
In conclusion, Castellanos is an extremely erratic player who can be hot or cold under pressure. He went from a playoff hero in the NLDS to a playoff zero in the NLCS in a single game during the Phillies’ 2023 playoff run, and that was evidently on full display.
In his first two years with the Phillies, we have undoubtedly witnessed both the good and the bad of Castellanos’ abilities. Given that we don’t know what Castellanos will look like in the final three years of his contract, it would be premature to declare that it is among the worst in baseball.
His contract might be among the best in the majors if he continues to produce at an All-Star level like he did in 2023 for the next three seasons. In the event that his shortcomings intensify and expedite his decline in the upcoming years, or if he ultimately assumes the form he did in 2022, we will be able to formally declare that this contract ranks among the worst in the league.
Let’s hope that Castellanos, in his All-Star form, is here to stay for the benefit of the Phillies and their current winning run.
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Most people believe that Aaron Nola’s signing was the Philadelphia Phillies’ big splash. Numerous rumors suggest that the team won’t make a significant investment in a new player. But, the front office will spend as much money as possible if it means they have a chance to win a World Series, as we’ve seen with the Phillies in the past. Does that imply that players like Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani are targets for Philadelphia? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Josh Hader, the Phillies’ star closer, is one name that keeps coming up. Before being traded to the San Diego Padres, the All-Star played the majority of his career for the Milwaukee Brewers. He remained, perhaps, baseball’s greatest closer while with the Padres
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It’s likely that Craig Kimbrel’s time in Philadelphia is over unless a new contract is agreed upon by both parties. This is a possibility because the Phillies could retain a well-known player for less money. Why not add an outstanding closer like Hader to a team that wants to win the World Series? Most of the time, he will enter the game in the ninth inning and virtually assure them of a victory. In the postseason and with a loaded National League East, that is extremely valuable. Additionally, the Phillies would be able to use some of their best relievers for the seventh and eighth innings of play.
How much the front office wants to spend is still up for debate. There is merit to both arguments, but it’s possible that Philadelphia has other plans than to spend this much money on a reliever.
To many, that is their best option because they can add a bat or starter who is above average for about the same price.
