Rob Thomson was part of a very tight game yesterday, August 29, against the Braves, and one of the things that caught attention was when Nick Castellanos came out of the outfield for a strategic replacement. It was actually Paco Figueroa who told him, not the Philadelphia Phillies manager himself.
Thomson again had to clarify the same topic he spoke about yesterday, this time with a slightly joking tone. He told Tim Kelly of On Pattison that Paco asked Castellanos to leave because he wasn’t going to run across the field to ask him.
Since Paco was nearby as the third base coach, the request was made. Although Castellanos had a slightly strong reaction to being replaced by Harrison Bader, in the end, the important thing was that the Phillies won the game and added another victory for a team that has been playing well lately.
Thomson Doesn’t Want to Complicate Things
Knowing how the media can be, Thomson said he doesn’t want to make a big deal out of the matter. For him, Castellanos’s reaction is that of a guy who wants to play baseball. The manager also said, “I wouldn’t respect a guy if he wanted to come out of a game.”
Regarding the situation between Thomson and Castellanos, Tim Kelly wrote: “Earlier this month, Castellanos told On Pattison that there continues to be mutual respect between him and Thomson, despite him now losing playing time against right-handed pitchers. Certainly, you get that impression when talking to Thomson about Castellanos.”
With 128 games played this year and a .253 batting average, some fans have criticized Castellanos for the low offensive production he has had in recent weeks, a slump he has yet to break out of. He still has not reached the 20 home run mark this season, with only 16, a number many expected him to surpass.
