Aug 17, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos (8) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images Brad Mills
Presented without commentary, here are Nick Castellanos' full postgame comments after the Phillies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 Friday evening.
Q: Nick, I happened to catch you at batting practice, seemed like you had a really good one before the game tonight.
Castellanos: Thank you.
Q: Did you feel that? Did you feel something like coming in? You felt good, or was it especially good for you?
Castellanos: Which part?
Q: The batting practice.
Castellanos: No, I think it was just pretty consistent, yeah.
Q: Have you found a way to adjust to the role that you're in now? Or how do you think you've adjusted?
Castellanos: I don't know, man. It's still like brand new, right? Like I'm just making stuff up as I go along. Some days I don't do anything, some days I go out for batting practice. It's just kinda how I feel.
Q: Do you think maybe something you did today is something you can go forward with? You did BP today, you didn't do what else?
Castellanos: [Can you] say that again?
Q: Is whatever you did today something maybe you can go forward with because you had a good day once you entered the game in the fifth inning ... whatever inning it was, sixth.
Castellanos: Sixth inning. ... Uh, yeah, I hit batting practice today. Maybe I'll hit it again tomorrow. That's a good idea.
Q: [Are you] feeling any more comfortable in this role? I mean, just coming into a game, you know, pinch hitting. The first at-bat was a pretty good at-bat.
Castellanos: Um, I think anything that I do more often I'll get better at it, for sure.
Q: How disappointed are you to not be playing every day?
Castellanos: That's a controversial question, so I'm gonna skip that.
Q: OK, well you said, you went on Mookie's [Betts] podcast and you said that the media has been coming up with narratives for your season. So what would be your narrative for the season? Your own narrative
Castellanos: I'm here to do whatever I can to make sure Philadelphia wins a World Series ring. So whatever role that looks like, I'll just do the best I can with that.
Q: You mentioned in that interview about your knee, that play in New York.
Castellanos: Sure
Q: Has that affected you? I know you don't want to make an excuse, but maybe does that explain anything about the last couple months?
Castellanos: I mean it hasn't been 100%, that's for sure. You know, but again, I'm not gonna sit here and say that's the reason. I've performed well hurt before.
Q: Does a night like tonight help you embrace this new role, and just say 'Hey, I can come off the bench and still help this team win.' If you had any doubts, in other words.
Castellanos: Um, I mean like I told you in the dugout before the game, any time that I step into the box, there's a chance that something good can happen.
Nick Castellanos was asked if he understands why he hasn’t played as often.
“I don’t really talk to Rob all that often … Communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience.”
(via @GraceDelPizzo) pic.twitter.com/ucqEiWadSL
Q: Do you understand why you haven't been playing as much as your normally would?
Castellanos: Uh, I don't really talk to Rob [Thomson] all that often, so that's just ... I play whenever he tells me to play. And then I sit whenever he tells me to sit.
Q: So the coaches or Rob don't sit down and explain to you what they want you to do in whatever role they want you to have?
Castellanos: Uh, communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience. But also, I grew up communicating with somebody like my father, which is very blunt, direct and consistent.
Q: Did you find it different with different managers?
Castellanos: Uh, every manager has their own style.
Q: Has it been worse this year, or consistent over the last four years?
Castellanos: Um, I don't really know how to answer that question.
Q: It's kind of surprising to hear because most people say that his [Thomson] strength is communicating with his players and talking to his players every day.
Castellanos: Who says that?
Q: I mean, the guys in here that have been winning since 2022. You've had a different experience than those guys?
Castellanos: It's just been times where things have been said, and then over the course of years, I'll have expectations because I'll latch on to what's being said and then actions will be different. And then I'm kind of left thinking and what not, but again, like it is what it is. I do what I can. At the end of the day, we're here to win a World Series.
Nick Castellanos, on Rob Thomson’s communication:
“There’s just been times where things have been said, and then over the course of years I’ll have expectations … and actions would be different.”
(via @GraceDelPizzo) pic.twitter.com/4x4KXUALTc
Q: What do you think your future is here?
Castellanos: I show up tomorrow and play a game against the Diamondbacks. That's my future.
Q: You're not thinking anything like next year, or anything like that?
Castellanos: Why would I do that in front of what we have ahead of us? That would be really selfish and take away from what we're trying to do as a group.
Q: So, it sounds like you're unhappy, but—
Castellanos: That would be creating a narrative.
Q: OK, are you unhappy?
Castellanos: That's ... I'm here, we won a baseball game. I hit my 250th [home run]. I have a good relationship with the guys in this clubhouse.
Q: And you're gonna do what it takes win a World Series?
Castellanos: I'm here to win. John Middleton is paying me money so that I can help the Philadelphia Phillies win a World Series.
