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Philadelphia Phillies get another big outfield bat in Nick Castellanos

By Noah Yingling

Cincinnati Reds right fielder Nick Castellanos (2) walks through the dugout after hitting a sacrifice fly to score Jonathan India in the fourth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. The Reds led 8-1 in the top of the sixth inning.Pittsburgh Pirates At Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Nick Castellanos (2) walks through the dugout after hitting a sacrifice fly to score Jonathan India in the fourth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. The Reds led 8-1 in the top of the sixth inning.Pittsburgh Pirates At Cincinnati Reds /
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Just after they signed free agent outfielder Kyle Schwarber and re-signed outfielder Odubel Herrera earlier this week, the Philadelphia Phillies have come to terms with another big free agent outfielder: Nick Castellanos.

The Philadelphia Phillies have come to terms with Nick Castellanos

Jeff Passan of ESPN was the first to report late on Friday night that the Philadelphia Phillies and free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos had come to terms on a deal.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network was the first to report that Castellanos’ contract will be for five years and $100 million.

Castellanos also seemed to confirm this on Instagram too, as he posted a picture of Philadelphia just after 11 PM E.T.

Entering the offseason, Castellanos was ranked as the #10 free agent on the market by MLB Trade Rumors and they predicted that he would get a five-year deal for $115 million, so Castellanos came shy of that on the amount but not the years.

Castellanos, 30, was an All-Star for the first time in 2021 for the Cincinnati Reds and, thus far, it was the best year of his career. He played in 138 games and he had 34 homers, 100 RBI, 38 doubles, a slash line of .309/.362/.576, and an OPS+ of 136. In addition to being an All-Star, he came in 12th in NL MVP voting, and he won a Silver Slugger Award.

Despite not being an All-Star before, Castellanos was no slouch in previous seasons.

From 2016 through 2019, he had an average of 144 games per season with 24 homers, 80 RBI, and an OPS+ of 121. His worst season in recent memory was 2020, when he still had an OPS+ of 100 in the pandemic shortened season.

Castellanos will join Schwarber, Herrera, and the reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper in a stacked outfield/DH scenario. Without the universal DH, the Phillies would have had to either not sign both Schwarber or Castellanos or move one of them to an infield position.

dark. Next. The Phillies' likeability issue

With the move, the Phillies will also exceed the luxury tax threshold unless they unload some of their payroll onto another team.

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