Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies veteran Nick Castellanos has seen his name pop up in trade rumors over the last week, but it appears the club isn't looking to move on from him this winter.

The Phillies have "no intention" of trading Castellanos, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. Philadelphia "consider him an important part of the team and value his production," Olney added.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported Thursday that the Phillies are "open to the idea of trading" Castellanos this offseason, adding that his "streaky ways and disappointing performance in the NLCS could result in an offseason change."

Castellanos struggled in an NLCS loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting just .042 in seven games.

However, the 31-year-old has been a fairly consistent player for the Phillies since joining the team ahead of the 2022 campaign and put together his best season in a Philadelphia uniform in 2023.

In 157 games, Castellanos slashed .272/.311/.476 with 29 home runs, 106 RBI and 11 stolen bases. Additionally, he put together a strong start to the postseason prior to the NLCS, hitting .391 with four home runs and five RBI in six games between the NLWC against the Miami Marlins and NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.

Castellanos is under contract with the Phillies through the 2026 season with an average annual salary of $20 million. So if Philadelphia is interested in moving on from him, he could fetch a decent return given the term on his deal and his performance over the last few years.

If the Phillies were to trade Castellanos, it's possible they would look to add another outfielder this winter. The veteran has served as Philadelphia's starting right fielder with Bryce Harper's move to first base.

But considering the Phillies have intentions of playing Harper at first base for the foreseeable future, it wouldn't be wise to part ways with Castellanos without a potential replacement in mind.

Nick Castellanos helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies deep into the playoffs the last two years, but he could be on the way out this offseason.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the National League East team is "open to the idea of trading" him, noting his "streaky ways and disappointing performance in the NLCS could result in an offseason change."

Castellanos hit just .042 during the National League Championship Series loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

While that would seemingly leave a hole in right field for the Phillies, Feinsand suggested the team could take the $20 million per year it owes the veteran over the next three seasons and use it to sign someone such as Jorge Soler and Teoscar Hernández.

Part of being streaky means there were plenty of positives during the past two years with Philadelphia for Castellanos as well.

He slashed .272/.311/.476 with 29 home runs, 106 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 157 games last season. He made his second career All-Star Game in the process and wasn't that far off from when he was a Silver Slugger winner with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021.

Castellanos slashed .309/.362/.576 with 34 home runs and 100 RBI that season.

The veteran has played for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Reds and Phillies throughout his career, so it wouldn't be the first time he switched teams if he is moved. There will surely be some interest as well, especially since he isn't a rental player and has three more years of team control on his contract.

That means Philadelphia may be able to ask for more in return in any trade negotiations.

Castellanos will be 32 years old throughout the 2024 campaign and disappointed in the most recent playoff series, but some of the best performances of his career have come the past three years.

He is someone a contender could throw into the middle of its lineup and feel optimistic about the production to come over the remaining seasons of his deal.

Aaron Nola's free agency is expected to be one of the hottest in baseball as the longtime Philadelphia Phillies ace is one of the top pitchers on the market this winter.

While the Phillies "remain engaged" in contract discussions with Nola, "a number of other clubs consider him a primary target," according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

"Nola doesn't figure to get as much as [Blake] Snell or [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto," Rosenthal added. "But he should fare quite well."

Nola has spent his entire nine-year career in Philadelphia, earning an All-Star selection in 2018 and helping the franchise contend for a World Series title in 2022.

However, Nola had a down year by his standards in 2023, posting a 12-9 record with a 4.46 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 202 strikeouts in 193.2 innings across 32 starts. He also allowed 32 home runs, the most he has allowed in a single season in his career.

Despite his struggles, the Phillies finished second in the National League East with a 90-72 record, earning a postseason berth for the second consecutive season.

Nola was an entirely different pitcher in the playoffs, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.35 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 23 innings across four starts, though he did give up two home runs in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Phillies went on to lose the series in Game 7.

The 30-year-old would be a solid addition to any rotation, and it seems likely that he may move on from Philadelphia this winter.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Sunday that general managers around MLB "believe that the Phillies will let Nola walk, and will turn their attention to Blake Snell, who's about to win his second Cy Young award."

Nightengale added that the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers could be landing spots for the veteran righthander. A number of general managers predicted he would sign with the reigning World Series champion Rangers, per Nightengale.

Aside from Nola and Snell, some of the other top pitchers on the market this offseason include Shohei Ohtani, Jordan Montgomery, Sonny Gray and Eduardo Rodriguez.

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper made the transition to first base this season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery after spending his entire MLB career as a right-fielder. It will be a permanent switch.

"We decided we're going to play him at first base," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters on Wednesday. "... He's happy to do whatever we wanted him to do. He said he'd play first or the outfield. He feels great. But the more we talked about it internally, we liked the idea of playing him at first."

Dombrowski added that he talked to free agent Rhys Hoskins about the decision to move Harper to first base and keep Kyle Schwarber as the team's primary designated hitter, essentially leaving Hoskins without a role going forward.

The move makes sense on a number of levels.

For one, Harper adjusted well to life as a first baseman, and an entire offseason and spring training to adjust to his new digs should help him improve further. Hoskins was never a particularly good fielder—he has a career defensive WAR of negative-6.3—and Harper has the opportunity to be a defensive upgrade.

But it also will allow the 31-year-old Harper, the face of the franchise, to play a less physically demanding position than right field. He's under contract through the 2031 season, and keeping him fresh and as injury-free as possible through those years is vital.

If there's one knock against Harper at this point, it's that injury issues have cost him significant time in each of the past two seasons. Removing the risk of having him bang into walls or sprinting and diving after line drives removes some risk—at least in theory—of him suffering further injuries.

But it's also arguable that Hoskins, for all of his pop at the plate, was expendable for a lineup that boasts plenty of offensive studs in Harper, Schwarber, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott. Hoskins missed the 2023 season with a torn ACL, and the Phillies still finished eighth in baseball in both runs (796) and homers (220).

Using the money it would have taken to retain Hoskins to upgrade other positions—namely in the starting rotation and bullpen—is a smart team-building approach this winter for the Phillies.

And given that Hoskins has four seasons with at least 27 or more home runs, he should land on his feet in free agency.

"There's potential for a pillow contract..." his agent, Scott Boras, told reporters on Wednesday when asked if Hoskins could receive a one-year "prove-it" contract similar to Cody Bellinger with the Chicago Cubs last season. "Power of Rhys, his leadership, all those things are really demonstrated in a major market and on championship levels. I think Rhys' Pieces fits all team puzzles."

He's one of two long-time Phillies who could leave in free agency this winter, with Aaron Nola also on the market. Philly will almost assuredly address the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Zach Wheeler if Nola—this is not a team that has been shy about spending in recent years—but two recent pillars for this organziation may be on the way out.

The Philadelphia Phillies want free agent starting pitcher Aaron Nola to return, but they will reportedly turn their attention toward Sonny Gray if doesn't happen.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that news while also highlighting a connection between Gray and Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham.

The 34-year-old Gray went 8-8 with a 2.76 ERA (1.15 WHIP) and 183 strikeouts over 32 starts for the AL Central champion Minnesota Twins last season.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Sunday that general managers think that the Phillies will let Nola leave. The two sides were reportedly "four years and about $100 million" apart on a deal last winter.

The competition would also be stiff for Nola, with the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers potentially in the mix.

He added that it's expected Philadelphia will instead look toward signing presumed National League Cy Young award winner Blake Snell of the San Diego Padres.

Ultimately, the Phillies need more starting pitcher depth, and that would be the case even with Nola.

Philadelphia really only had two starters (Nola and Zack Wheeler) it seemed to trust to go deep in games, with third starter Ranger Suárez more or less serving as a five-inning pitcher. Taijuan Walker, who signed a $72 million contract last offseason, never even made a playoff appearance despite starting 32 games (15-6, 4.38 ERA).

So adding more starting pitching is a necessity, and Gray is a good option who probably won't break the bank like Nola. He just had a terrific two-year run in Minnesota where he posted a 2.90 ERA and 8.9 K/9 rate. Gray also just allowed the fewest home runs per nine innings (0.4) in the majors.

Philadelphia is looking to improve upon a 90-win season in which the team finished one win away from making the World Series before falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS.

Aaron Nola's time with the Philadelphia Phillies may be coming to a close.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, general managers around baseball "believe that the Phillies will let Nola walk, and will turn their attention to Blake Snell, who's about to win his second Cy Young award. This would leave Nola going to either St. Louis, Atlanta, Texas or perhaps the Los Angeles Dodgers."

Nightengale added that "several" general managers predicted Nola would end up signing with the defending champion Rangers.

Nola, 30, had a tough regular season by his standards, going 12-9 in 32 starts with a 4.46 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 202 strikeouts across 193.2 innings. He was prone to allowing the long ball, giving up a career-worst 32 homers on the season.

But he looked like a different pitcher in the postseason, going 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 23 innings. He was instrumental in helping the Phillies reach the NLCS, though his second start in that series—a Game 6 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks that saw him give up four runs on six hits and two walks in 4.1 innings—was not the potential curtain call on his time in Philadelphia he would have wanted.

Snell, 30, would potentially be an upgrade, giving the Phillies a lefty atop the rotation to pair with right-handed ace Zack Wheeler. He was superb in the 2023 season, finishing 14-9 in 32 starts with a 2.25 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings. He was one of the few bright spots in the San Diego Padres' disastrous season.

There are concerns with Snell, however. He only exceeded 130 innings twice in his career. He also led baseball with 99 walks. Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted he would sign a five-year, $122 deal this winter, while he envisioned a five-year, $125 million deal for Nola.

It should be an interesting offseason for the Phillies, but keeping the top of the rotation strong should be the main priority as they seek a return to the World Series after falling just short in 2023.

In the aftermath of the Philadelphia Phillies' 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, Bryce Harper expressed optimism that the future is still bright for the organization.

Speaking to reporters following the game, Harper said the Phillies will "be back" because they have "a great owner." He also said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is "going to get us the best opportunity to win and be here every single year."

The Phillies looked like they were going to cruise into the World Series for most of the playoffs. They had no problems in the NL Wild Card series against the Miami Marlins and eliminated the 104-win Atlanta Braves in four games in the NLDS.

When the NLCS started, the Phillies looked far superior to the Diamondbacks. They won the first two games by a combined score of 15-3 before the series shifted to Arizona.

Craig Kimbrel's shakiness came back to bite the Phillies in Games 3 and 4. He gave up Ketel Marte's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth in Game 3. He followed that up by allowing a game-tying two-run homer to Alek Thomas in the bottom of the eighth in Game 4.

Kimbrel also allowed a single to Marte and hit Corbin Carroll with a pitch in that eighth inning before Phillies manager Rob Thomson finally pulled him. Marte came around to score the go-ahead run in a 6-5 win on Gabriel Moreno's single off José Alvarado.

The Phillies took a 3-2 series lead with a win in Game 5, but their bats went cold in the final two games when they came back to Citizens Bank Park. They scored a total of three runs and went 11-for-63 at the dish with just two hits in 17 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

In a moment that would have echoed his series-clinching homer in last year's NLCS, Harper had a chance to give the Phillies a lead with two runners on in the bottom of the seventh. His swing on a fastball over the heart of the plate by Diamondbacks reliever Kevin Ginkel was just a hair under the sweet spot for a flyout to center field.

Even though this result is disappointing, Harper is correct that the Phillies won't be shy about spending if they can upgrade their roster. Aaron Nola is set to become a free agent and could command a significant contract despite having a 4.46 ERA in 32 starts this season.

Rhys Hoskins is the only other notable pending free agent for the Phillies, but he's potentially disposable simply because they already have enough players to rotate between first base and DH.

Since the Phillies hired Dombrowski in December 2020, they have signed five free agents to contracts worth at least $72 million total. This includes deals of at least $100 million for Nick Castellanos (five years, $100 million), J.T. Realmuto (five years, $115.5 million) and Trea Turner (11 years, $300 million).

Not all of those deals have worked out great for the Phillies, but they have built a roster that had them in the World Series last year and in Game 7 of the NLCS this year.

The Philadelphia Phillies have been unstoppable at home throughout the 2023 playoffs.

Until the World Series was one win away.

Despite going 6-0 with an average of 6.5 runs per game in the first six postseason contests at Citizens Bank Park this year, the Phillies never bounced back from an early deficit on the way to a lackluster 5-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Monday's Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.

That means Philadelphia will have to win Tuesday's decisive Game 7, also at home, if it is going to reach the World Series for a second straight year.

The disappointing showing from a typically dominant offense with stars such as Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber was the biggest storyline from the Phillies' perspective, and social media had plenty of reaction:

Philadelphia's offense wasn't dialed in, but Arizona's was against starter Aaron Nola.

Back-to-back home runs from Tommy Pham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., as well as an RBI double from Evan Longoria, gave the Diamondbacks a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Even when the home team answered back with a run on an RBI single from Brandon Marsh, Arizona was ready with a response.

Ketel Marte, in particular, was ready, as his RBI triple in the fifth chased Nola from the game before his RBI single in the seventh provided some important insurance.

That was enough for the Arizona pitching staff, as starter Merrill Kelly allowed just one run and three hits while striking out eight in five innings. The bullpen combination of Ryan Thompson, Andrew Saalfrank, Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald did the work from there, moving the Diamondbacks one win away from their first World Series appearance since 2001.

Philadelphia's offense has consistently delivered with clutch hits, especially at home, throughout the playoffs, but that was missing Monday. The Diamondbacks limited their rallies and prevented the raucous crowd from taking over like it has in the past.

If they can do that again Tuesday, they will be in the Fall Classic.

Bryce Harper continues to deliver for the Philadelphia Phillies in the postseason.

The star first baseman helped the Phillies clinch a 6-1 Game 5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Championship Series on Saturday to take a 3-2 series lead and put themselves one step closer to the World Series.

Harper finished the game two for four with one RBI and one home run. He hit a solo shot in the top of the sixth inning to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead. That came immediately after Kyle Schwarber sent one into the stands to give Philadelphia a three-run lead.

Harper also stole home in the top of the first inning to give the Phillies and early 2-0 lead.

Harper has arguably been Philadelphia's most impactful player this postseason, and he's now garnering MVP hype from fans following his latest performance:

The Phillies now have the opportunity to punch their ticket to the World Series in Game 6 on Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

Given the circumstances, the atmosphere in Philadelphia should be like none other, and Harper could surely find himself getting more MVP chants if the Phillies reach the World Series for the second straight season.