Jackson Merrill will have a new teammate for the 2026 season, none other than Nick Castellanos, who recently put his drama with the Philadelphia Phillies behind him and now appears to have the freedom to start fresh in the San Diego Padres clubhouse.
āNick can be himself and do whatever he wants in our clubhouse,ā Merrill said when asked about Castellanosā past issues in Philadelphia. He added, āThat was the Phillies ā weāre the San Diego Padres.ā
Itās safe to assume other MLB players were aware of the Miami incident and saw the letter Castellanos posted on Instagram following his release from the Phillies. What stands out is how quickly he secured a new team after departing Philadelphia.
Merrill wasnāt the only one to speak on Castellanos
Beyond Merrillās comments, fellow Padre Mason Miller also addressed the addition, saying he is āexcited for what he brings to the Padres.ā Miller added that players like Castellanos are exactly what the team needs to fill different roles.
Gavin Sheets was also asked about Castellanos, specifically whether he was concerned about Castellanos potentially impacting his role at first base, a position Castellanos has said he is willing to play if needed. Sheetsā response suggested he is not worried about where his new teammate lines up defensively.
see also
End of an era: Nick Castellanosā jersey number claimed by new Phillies figure
āThe Padres may have little money to spend, but in 24 hours sign OF Nick Castellanos and right-handers Griffin Canning and GermĆ”n MĆ”rquez on cheap one-year deals,ā Bob Nightengale wrote about Castellanosā arrival in San Diego.
