The Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres are two teams who have not had the most active MLB offseason periods. That isn’t to say the offseason has been bad, but the teams haven’t made a ton of improvements either.
With that being said, there is still plenty of time left for teams to make moves.
Both teams have pieces they could move and there are still free agents on the market who could make an impact for either squad. However, another option could be for the two front offices to come together and discuss a potential trade.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal spoke out about a potential trade the Phillies and Padres could make together during an appearance on “Foul Territory” this weekend. He suggested a potential deal sending veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos to San Diego.
“Dombrowski has said Nick Castellanos will not be on their roster on Opening Day,” Rosenthal said. “So the question becomes okay, who wants him? The Padres are looking for a right-handed bat and they’re looking for one that would be inexpensive and Castellanos has been taking ground balls and training somewhat at first base, which is a position they’re trying to fill. That is one possibility.”
What Would the Padres Be Getting in a Trade With the Phillies for Castellanos?
Castellanos has had big moments throughout his MLB career. There have also been issues with consistency for him at the plate.
During the 2025 MLB season in Philadelphia, the 33-year-old outfielder ended up playing in 147 games. He hit 17 home runs to go along with 72 RBI, while also producing a slash line of .250/.294/.400.
Those numbers aren’t horrible, but they also aren’t extremely productive.
For the Padres, he could be a decent option if they’re desperately searching for a right-handed bat. It would be wise to look into other options first, but he could be a potential fallback option if nothing better emerges.
As for the Phillies, moving Castellanos to San Diego would cross of a box they clearly want to cross off. Dave Dombrowski has been very clear that the veteran outfielder will not be on the roster in 2026. This is one way to accomplish that goal.
Taking a Look Back at Castellanos’ Career
To this point in his career, Castellanos has played in 13 MLB season. During those 13 seasons, he has played for four different teams.
In some years, Castellanos has looked like a star. Arguably his best season came back in 2021 with the Cincinnati Reds, where he hit 34 home runs, drove in 100 RBI, and slashed .309/.362/.576.
Back in 2023 with Philadelphia, Castellanos produced another big year. He hit 29 home runs, drove in 106 runs, and slashed .272/.311/.476.
There is no doubt that Castellanos is capable of being a very productive player. Unfortunately, he comes with a risk of disappearing for long stretches of s season. Even with that risk the Padres could have interest and a deal could make sense between the two teams.
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