Nick Castellanos has made it clear that he wants to do one thing with the Phillies: win the playoffs.
“I’ve played over 1,000 major league games and I don’t have a playoff win,” Castellanos said at Wednesday’s opening press conference at the BayCare Ballpark. “Do you understand what I mean? So, cool, like, I made money, hit homers, played on TV, but didn’t win any meaningful games. this.”
“He’s one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball,” said Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who was the Tigers’ general manager when Detroit took Castellanos in the first round of the 2010 draft. “He brings more to the line-up than just a bat. With his determination, his winning atmosphere, the chemistry he brings to the club, he’s a champion type.”
Castellanos batted .309 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs for the Reds last season, making his first career All-Star team and winning the Silver Slugger in the outfield.
After Castellanos became a free agent, Dombrowski and Bryce Harper, who has the same agent, Scott Boras, and were teammates with Castellanos in US baseball in 2009, pushed Phillies owner John Middleton to bring the slugger to Philadelphia.
“I want to thank John Middleton for signing Nick and now I don’t get four phone calls a day for the last month from Bryce Harper,” Boras joked at a press conference.
The arrival of the Castellanos after the Phillies have already added Kyle Schwarber could give the club the best offense since the teams that regularly hit pitches in the National League under Charlie Manuel from 2005 to 2011.
Dombrowski said that Middleton approached him each evening asking what additional steps the Phillies could take to improve, and Castellanos was there.
“I thought, ‘This bat would definitely look good at the center of our lineup,'” Dombrowski said. “From what I’ve read, I don’t think he’s signed anywhere or is close to signing. But I know how good a player he is, how good he is as a striker and what he brings to the team.” And suddenly you’re talking about what you have… Harper, Schwarber, Castellanos and [Rhys] Hoskins and [J.T.] Realmuto, that’s very good.”
Castellanos can play both in the corner outfield and at third base and designated hitter. He gives Phillies manager Joe Girardi more roster flexibility as the Phillies intend to use their regular players in the DH. Girardi said Phil’s plan is to primarily use Castellanos in left field, right field, and downhill.
“The organization is committed to winning,” Castellanos said. “Being able to be here playing with these guys – I’m excited to be teammates with Bryce again, we won the gold medal together in Venezuela in 2009 – so I have a lot of things to worry about. “