Right time, right place for Nick Castellanos.
The Phillies have had a rough go at things the last several weeks, but if the previous two games are any indication, they may finally be turning a corner. The offense has been stale and the pitching has been underwhelming, but a handful of players are finally starting to find their groove once more.
Right fielder Nick Castellanos is one of the players having a great August. It is coming at a pivotal time as the Phillies are currently just seven games ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the NL East crown, a title the Phillies haven’t won since their 102-60 season back in 2011.
Castellanos’ Slow Start
Castellanos had a slow start to the year. In 104 at-bats, he hit .183/.241/.260/.501 in April with a 41 wRC+. The month of May saw improvement. He hit .229/.287/.419/.706 with a 95 wRC+. June saw significant improvement for Castellanos. In 105 at-bats, he finished June hitting .276/.325/.486/.810 with a 122 wRC+. This continued into July as he hit .275/.305/.484/.789 with a 153 wRC+.
He had a slow start to the season, but things are starting to click for the former second-round pick. His start to August has been something fans should be watching.
A great August
Nick Castellanos has been hot the first two weeks of August, posting a .304 batting average with a .396 OBP and .918 OPS. His 13.2 K% in August is fourth on the Phillies, behind Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and JT Realmuto.
His 153 wRC+ is third on the Phillies behind Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. His offensive value is also third, behind only Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. In a month of lackluster play, Nick Castellanos has been a bright spot for fans to look at and feel better about how the post-all-star break Phillies have been.
Finishing the season
Nick Castellanos is a phenomenal leader, both on and off the field. The team needs him to continue this production if they want to win the division and a World Series. The improvement month-to-month is encouraging, and I believe he will finish the month of August on a high note.
Furthermore, I believe he will have this hot streak continue into the final month of the season and push the team to get ready for the postseason.
Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
