Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos might use one word to sum up his 2023 season: historic.
In what can definitely be considered a bounce-back season after joining the Phils in 2022, the right-fielder learned Sunday evening that he made the National League MLB All-Star team for the second time in his career.
Just in the past 24 hours, it’s been clear why Castellanos is worthy of the All-Star roster. He blasted a solo home run to left field in the first inning and doubled to score a run in Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. And while he ended up a triple short of the cycle on Saturday, this is a well-deserved honor.
The home run on Sunday made it the 12th homer of the season and his 26th double, which ranks third in all of Major League Baseball.
Casty’s performance for the Phillies this season
Castellanos is slashing .316/.358/.874 and let’s compare that to last season. In 2022, he was hitting just .263 with 13 homers, 62 RBIs, and a career-low .694 OPS. That’s an OPS that jumped 180 points. In 2021 when he was with the Cincinnati Reds, he batted .309 with 38 doubles, 34 homers, 100 RBI, and a.939 OPS.
That was his first All-Star appearance.
The 31-year-old signed a five-year, $100 million contract with Philadelphia in March 2022. After a lackluster season despite the postseason World Series run, he stunned fans and the club this season with his ability to ring the bell.
Now Castellanos has a tough choice to make: bring his nine-year-old son Liam or let him play in a very important tournament.
Either way, both his family and adopted family in the City of Brotherly Love is going to be happy to see him in Seattle.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Dean
