Phillies Weekly Trends: The Awaited Nick Castellanos Hot Streak
Nick Castellanos blasted two home runs against the Miami Marlins with family and friends watching at LoanDepot Park, about nine miles away from his hometown of Hialeah, Florida.
The veteran right fielder is finally swinging a hot bat, and the Phillies haven’t lost a series since April 1-3.
Up: Nick Castellanos
Not many negative storylines have surrounded the 2024 Phillies. Although Nick Castellanos came out cold offensively, a collective Phillies hot streak pushed their right fielder’s slump to the backburner.
Castellanos has his first significant breakthrough. His current eight-game hit streak has finally bumped his average over the Mendoza line.
The two-time All-Star got the scoring started in Miami on Friday night with a solo home run to right-center field. The long ball substantiated recent comments from Rob Thomson about how Castellanos’ ability to drive the ball with power to the opposite field is the key indicator that he’s swinging the bat well.
Castellanos later showed off a glove that’s improved throughout his tenure with the Phillies. He backtracked and reached for an excellent running catch in the ninth inning of the blowout win.
He followed it up with a three-run blast on Sunday. Only five MLB hitters posted an OPS better than his 1.183 over the past week.
Thomson slotted Castellanos in the cleanup spot twice this week in a fluid short-term lineup without some key bats. He also hit in the five-hole twice after spending most of the season at the bottom of the order.
The high-priced veteran spoke about how his hot streak correlates with an aggressive approach that differs from the organization’s offseason emphasis on pitch selection that affected his rhythm at the plate early in the season.
“I’m not worried so much about chasing or being so hard on myself, trying to have a plan or what not. (I) just go up there with no thoughts and just swing… My whole career, I’ve never had a plan. I’ve never looked for a pitch. Basically, the game is glorified batting practice, and that’s when I’ve always been at my best.” -Nick Castellanos (via NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that the Phillies would like to defer to Castellanos’ preference to play 162 games this season and avoid disrupting some ideas in his head.
If that’s the case, they need to see production like Castellanos provided the past week. He is a streaky hitter who doesn’t do well with too many adjustments. Right now, he’s swinging a hot bat. Can he sustain the success?
Up: Bryson Stott
Rob Thomson looked at the stacked deck of left-handed pitchers set to face the Phillies. His matchup decisions limited Bryson Stott to 16 at-bats this week.
Stott made the most of his limited opportunities. He hit .438 (7-16) with 6 RBI. He also racked up five walks and stole three bases.
The blossoming second baseman showed off his smooth swing in Miami with a bases-clearing triple that broke Saturday’s game open for the Phillies.
Stott has quietly slashed .270/ .370/ .426 after an underwhelming start. He’ll have an opportunity in four games against the New York Mets this week to take advantage of a defense that has struggled to stop opposing base stealers.
Down: Zack Wheeler
The Phillies had outscored Miami 16-5 in the weekend series entering Sunday afternoon. They took a 3-0 lead before the last-place Fish even stepped to the plate to face arguably the best pitcher in the majors.
Zack Wheeler couldn’t finish off the sweep in his worst performance of the 2024 season. He allowed six earned runs in only four innings in the eventual 7-6 loss.
The hiccup came only six days after Wheeler sparkled against the San Francisco Giants in seven shutout innings. He allowed 10 men to reach base in four innings against a lineup ranked 25th among MLB teams in runs scored.
The 33-year-old righty has struggled statistically in seven career starts with Garrett Stubbs behind the plate. Wheeler acknowledged some challenges communicating with an unfamiliar catcher but took responsibility for the bad performance.
“It is what it is. I’ve been with J.T. (Realmuto) all the time, but it’s not the end of the world. We’re both on the same page for the most part. It’s just different scenarios where I like to do certain things, and he’s just not used to it. This isn’t on Stubby at all. It’s on me.” –Zack Wheeler
Count on an ace with an excellent competitive drive to move past this one quickly.
Down: Health
The Phillies still own sole possession of the best record in baseball. Their loaded roster of star players should strike fear into virtually all their opponents.
However, all teams are vulnerable to the injury bug. Trea Turner will remain on the shelf most likely until sometime following the MLB London Series on June 8 and 9.
Kyle Schwarber exited Friday night’s game and sat Saturday and Sunday with a back issue. He doesn’t expect to land on the IL. Realmuto sat out games in consecutive series split by an off-day. The uncommon amount of rest suggests some additional wear and tear on the knees of a 33-year-old catcher.
Bryce Harper looked somewhat uncomfortable after a swing and a miss on Saturday afternoon. He’s dealt with nagging back issues in recent seasons, but he remained in the game.
World Series contenders need their best players healthy. The four respective hitters will earn $95.5 million in combined salary this season. The Phillies will continue to weigh the need to add a few extra days off in May with long-term visions of another Red October.
Watch Kincade & Salciunas On The 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube Page For Discussion About The Latest Breaking Sports News In Philadelphia.
The All-Time Roster Of MLB Players From the Philadelphia Area
1. Joey Wendle (SS)
Wendle grew up in Chester County before attending West Chester University. He’s put together a solid major league career as a reliable infielder for four different teams. He finished fourth in voting for the AL Rookie of the Year and made an All-Star appearance in 2021. Wendle was born in Wilmington, DE.
2. Mike Trout (OF)
Phillies fans have been calling for Mike Trout to return “home” since he broke out as the AL Rookie of the Year in 2012. The pride of Millville, NJ has won three AL MVP Awards with the Los Angeles Angels, and his statistical prime was as good as any major leaguer in the history of the game. He won three MVP awards in six seasons from 2014-2019.
Catch Mike Trout as a celebrity fan at Eagles home games.
3. Reggie Jackson (OF)
Mr. October was one of the best playoff performers in MLB history. Jackson won five World Series and made 14 All-Star appearances in 21 major league seasons, most notably with the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1993. Jackson was born in Abington, PA.
4. Paul Goldschmidt (1B)
Goldschmidt established himself as one of the hardest-hitting sluggers of the 2010s. The first baseman spent eight years with the Arizona Diamondbacks before moving to the St. Louis Cardinals in his 30s.
He won his first National League MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals after previously finishing sixth or higher in voting five times. He was born in Wilmington, DE.
5. Mike Piazza (DH)
Mike Piazza grew up in Phoenixville, PA. The Los Angeles Dodgers found an all-time steal in the 62nd round of the 1988 MLB Draft.
He built the basis of his Hall of Fame resume in seven seasons with the Dodgers and eight with the New York Mets. He was the best offensive catcher in the league during the 1990s and early 2000s.
8. Christian Walker (3B)
The pool of third basemen isn’t very deep, so a Gold Glover at first base would need to make the transition. Christian Walker grew up in Norristown and attended the former Kennedy-Kenrick before his MLB career began.
Phillies fans remember his contributions to the NLCS upset in 2023. Walker was a key piece of the National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
9. Phil Gosselin (2B)
The utility infielder isn’t the most accomplished baseball player in this hypothetical lineup. However, he earned a spot with a respectable career as a journeyman who recognized his role and mastered it.
Phil Gosselin became a high school star at local powerhouse Malvern Prep. He dropped one of the best feel-good lines in Philly sports history after a bases-clearing double early in his first season with the Phillies in 2019.
“I’ve been up with the bases loaded a lot for the Phillies. It was just in my backyard as a kid, and it didn’t really count.” –Phil Gosselin
SP- Zac Gallen
Every soul in South Jersey seems to have a connection to Zac Gallen or his family members. The Arizona Diamondbacks ace has flirted with an NL Cy Young Award in the prime years of his career.
His role with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023 sticks in the heads of Phillies fans. Gallen was the top starter for an Arizona team that stunned the Phillies in the NLCS.
SP- Jamie Moyer
The Phillies acquired Jamie Moyer in 2006 as a veteran deadline acquisition at age 43. He remarkably pitched in parts of five seasons into his late 40s and even pitched for the Colorado Rockies at age 49.
The Souderton, PA native and Saint Joseph’s University graduate became one of the feel-good stories of the 2008 World Series as the local kid who returned home to win the title. He famously dug up the mound at Citizens Bank Park after the Game 6 clincher.
SP- Mark Gubicza
Mark Gubicza spent the better part of the 1980s in the starting rotation for the Kansas City Royals. He won 132 games over a 14-year MLB career. He grew up in Philadelphia and attended Penn Charter.
Gubicza came to the Royals just after they faced the Phillies in the World Series in 1980.
Closer- Joe Kerrigan
Philadelphia will always celebrate a graduate of Father Judge and Temple University. Joe Kerrigan spent only four seasons in major league bullpens.
Kerrigan returned to Philadelphia for a stint as the Phillies pitching coach in 2003 and 2004. He managed Larry Bowa’s staff well during his short tenure.
Middle Relief- Mo’ne Davis
She didn’t make it to the major leagues. We’re aware. However, Mo’ne Davis surprisingly took the sports world by storm during the 2014 Little League World Series. The memorable novelty of a Little League team playing just off South Street deserved acknowledgment in a look back at local baseball history.
Manager- Joe McCarthy
McCarthy won seven World Series in 16 seasons from 1931-1946 as the skipper for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees must’ve thought highly of him if they ignored interest from Babe Ruth to become their manager. The decision certainly paid off.
He grew up playing baseball in Germantown.
