There will be no more drives into deep left field for Nick Castellanos with the Philadelphia Phillies. The team signaled the end of the Castellanos era Monday, when it reportedly agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with Adolis García, according to multiple reports.
With the move, García — who was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers in November — is expected to be the primary right fielder for the Phillies in 2026. While García struggled at the plate last season, hitting just .227/.271/.394, with 19 home runs, he’s considered a strong defensive addition. That’s something the Phillies lacked with Castellanos, who expressed frustration over being lifted from games for defensive reasons last year.
While defense played into Philadelphia’s decision to sign García, the team is likely also hoping for a resurgent offensive year for the 32-year-old. After posting an All-Star season with the Rangers in 2023, García has seen his numbers decline over the past two seasons, when he’s hit just .225/.278/.397.
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Though García struggled in 2025, he did show some signs that suggest he still has one more strong season left in his bat. García saw a rebound in his exit velocity after it dipped in 2024. He also managed to cut his strikeout rate to a career-low 24.7 percent. Neither of those improvements resulted in a better year for García in 2025, but the Phillies may view both as promising signs that he can recoup some of his previous form in the short term. It helps that García’s main calling card — his power — should play well in Citizens Bank Park, one of the best places to hit home runs in the majors.
With García expected to take over as the team’s primary right fielder, the Phillies now need to make a decision on Castellanos. The 33-year-old is entering the final season of his five-year, $100 million deal, and is set to make $20 million in 2026. Following the García signing, the Phillies are expected to either trade or release Castellanos ahead of spring training.
Castellanos has also seen a decline in his performance at the plate in recent years, though he has actually hit better than García since 2024. Over the past two seasons, Castellanos has a .252/.303/.416 slash line. But frustration over his role last season, combined with his poor defense, was apparently enough for the Phillies to move on from the veteran.
Castellanos is still capable of popping home runs at a fair clip, but did see his exit velocity and hard-hit rate drop in 2025, two possible signs of decline. Because of that, the Phillies may need to eat some of Castellanos’ contract if they are able to trade the outfielder. Given his struggles on defense, Castellanos could be used as a designated hitter with his new club.
The Phillies didn’t have that luxury after Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the team. With Schwarber firmly entrenched as the team’s designated hitter, the Phillies prioritized improving their outfield defense. While the Phillies rated well in most areas last season, defense was a weakness, with nearly every metric ranking the Phillies as a below-average defensive team in 2025.
Despite contending for multiple seasons, the Phillies are still searching for their first World Series championship since 2008. Bringing in García isn’t a blockbuster move, but one that should shore up one of the team’s biggest weaknesses.
Given how close the Phillies have come to winning it all in recent seasons, even a small upgrade could pay major dividends when the season is on the line in October.
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