Phillies’ Nick Castellanos hits 250th homer, cites ‘questionable’ communication with Rob Thomson over changing role

PHOENIX — Nick Castellanos came off the bench Friday night and popped his 250th career home run.

Then, he popped off about his manager.

In a five-minute interview at his locker after the Phillies’ series-opening 8-2 victory over the Diamondbacks, Castellanos reiterated that he’s still adjusting to a part-time role after more than a decade as an everyday player in the majors and said he’s “here to do whatever I can to make sure that Philadelphia wins a World Series ring.”

But he didn’t stop there.

» READ MORE: Nick Castellanos admits playing through a left knee injury that ‘hasn’t been 100%’

Asked if he understands why he isn’t playing as much as he usually does — he has started only 12 of the last 24 games — Castellanos indicated a strained relationship with Rob Thomson over what he described as “questionable” communication.

“I don’t really talk to Rob all that often,” Castellanos said. “I play whenever he tells me to play, and then sit whenever he tells me to sit.”

Thomson said before Saturday night’s game that he sat down with Castellanos. Although the chose to keep details of the meeting mostly private, he described the meeting as “really productive.”

“If not only Nick, but if anybody in that clubhouse doesn’t think that I’m communicating enough with them, I’m probably not, and I’ve got to do a better job at it,” Thomson said. “But there’s two ways of communicating, and that door is always open. And I’m not a mind reader. I can’t tell the future. So I urge players, I want players to come in here and tell me what’s on their mind. But I have to do a better job.”

Since Thomson was elevated from bench coach to manager in 2022, Castellanos’ first year with the team, many players have appreciated his candor and directness.

“Who says that?” Castellanos said Friday.

He added: “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.”

Thomson benched Castellanos for one game in June for making what the manager described as an “inappropriate” comment in the dugout after being replaced for defense late in a game. Since then, Thomson and Castellanos have insisted that there were no hard feelings.

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Before the Phillies faced the Mets in New York last month, Thomson said Castellanos knocked on his door to ask about the allocation of playing time for that series. Thomson said he offered an explanation.

Thomson said Castellanos hasn’t done that lately.

“There’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,” Castellanos said Friday night. “And then actions would be different.”

Castellanos, 33, is having his least productive season at the plate since at least 2022. Through Friday, he was batting .255 with 17 homers and a .710 OPS in 140 games but only .215 with five homers and a .617 OPS since the All-Star break. The homer Friday night was his first since Aug. 17 and his first against a right-handed pitcher since July 23 against Boston’s Lucas Giolito.

It was also an indication to Thomson that Castellanos can be productive in a bench role.

“For a guy that’s played every day since he’s come to the big leagues, and probably even in the minor leagues, to take on this role is difficult,” Thomson said. “He’s trying to adjust, and after tonight, I think that tells me something that he’s starting to get a feel for it.”

Castellanos revealed this week on a podcast hosted by Dodgers star Mookie Betts that he’s been playing through patellar tendinitis since he jammed his left knee on the warning track while making a game-ending catch Aug. 25 at Yankee Stadium.

“I mean, it hasn’t been 100%, that’s for sure,” Castellanos said Friday, addressing the injury directly. “But I’m not going to sit here and say that’s the reason. I’ve done and performed well hurt before.”

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Castellanos’ playing time has been reduced since the Phillies traded for outfielder Harrison Bader at the deadline. Initially, Thomson sat Castellanos against tough righties (Jacob deGrom on Aug. 9 in Texas, for instance) to keep lefty-hitting Max Kepler in the lineup.

But with Kepler swinging the bat better, and Bader and Brandon Marsh producing at the plate, Thomson started using Castellanos and Kepler in a right-field platoon, with Castellanos starting only against left-handed pitchers.

Asked if he’s disappointed over not playing every day, Castellanos said, “That’s a controversial question, so I’m going to skip that.”

But with one year and $20 million remaining on his five-year contract, it’s worth wondering about Castellanos’ future with the Phillies. Last offseason, the Phillies reportedly discussed trading Castellanos, who said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told him that was untrue.

Is Castellanos thinking about next year?

“Why would I do that in front of what we have ahead of us?” he said. “That would be really selfish and take away from what we’re trying to do as a group.”

Asked if he’s unhappy, Castellanos said, “That would be creating a narrative.”

“I’m here to win,” he added. “[Owner] John Middleton is paying me money so that I can help the Philadelphia Phillies win a World Series.”

Outfielder Johan Rojas tweaked his quadriceps Friday night at triple-A Lehigh Valley. If healthy, Rojas will receive consideration for a spot on the Phillies’ division series roster as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. ... Trea Turner (hamstring) ran arcs around the infield and did change-of-direction drills in Philadelphia. ... ... Ranger Suárez (12-6, 2.84 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale at 4:10 p.m. Sunday against Diamondbacks lefty Eduardo Rodríguez (8-8, 5.12).