PEORIA, Ariz. — Early Sunday morning, hours before the Padres held their first full-squad workout of Spring Training, Nick Castellanos retreated to a back field at the Peoria Sports Complex. He’d arrived only moments earlier, his signing yet to be officially announced.
Castellanos was flanked by Nick Punto and Ryan Goins, the tandem in charge of instructing the team’s infielders. For several minutes, he went through a light series of drills at first base — a position that, notably, he has never played in the big leagues.
Indeed, Sunday marked the start of a distinctly new chapter for Castellanos. After his stint in Philadelphia came to a messy and public end last week, he vowed to capitalize on the “fresh start” awaiting him in San Diego. Even if it comes with a different role.
“I definitely can embrace that,” Castellanos said. “Fresh start, new group. San Diego is a very talented team, there’s a lot of veterans here. Also, the city of San Diego has never won a World Series. However I can contribute to that and lift this team up to accomplish that goal, I am more than willing.”
Padres general manager A.J. Preller later revealed that he spent a chunk of the offseason engaged in trade talks with Philadelphia for Castellanos. The two sides never lined up on a deal. Eventually, without any takers, the Phillies released Castellanos on Thursday.
Three days later, he was in Padres camp. In the meantime, details emerged of friction in the Phillies’ clubhouse — and of an incident last June during a game in Miami in which Castellanos briefly brought a beer into the dugout as a way to express his frustration for having been removed from a game.
“When I said I will learn from this, it’s, I guess, just letting my emotions get the best of me in a moment,” Castellanos said Sunday. “Possibly, if I see things that frustrate me, that I don’t believe are conducive to winning, speaking up when I see it, instead of letting things pile up.”
As if the signing didn’t prove the point, the Padres made it very clear very quickly that they’re willing to move past whatever happened in Philadelphia.
“We’re all going to look at him as a new human being,” said center fielder Jackson Merrill. “That was the Phillies, and we’re the San Diego Padres.”
“He gets a fresh start here,” said Preller. “And a fresh opportunity.”
Presumably, it’ll be a different type of opportunity. In 10 of his 11 full seasons, Castellanos has recorded 550 plate appearances. He’s played primarily right field for the last eight seasons. That won’t be the case in San Diego.
Castellanos could get occasional reps in the outfield corners. But his path to playing time is at DH and/or first base. Ultimately, that playing time will be predicated on performance.
“We want him to get hot as heck and us to be forced to put him in the lineup,” said manager Craig Stammen. “That’s the ultimate goal. We just want to set him up to be in a good situation for that to happen.
“But he also knows that he’s at a different part of his career, that he may be asked to be a platoon player, come off the bench. He also wants to earn every at-bat. And he’s got that little twinkle in his eye that says: ‘Don’t worry; I’m going to earn it.’”
If Castellanos earns it — and reverts back to the form that made him an All-Star in 2023 — the Padres will have found some kind of bargain. Or, as Manny Machado put it: “A $20 million player for pennies on the dollar.”
Indeed, Castellanos will be making $20 million this season, the last season of his contract with Philadelphia. The Padres are only paying the league minimum of $780,000.
“That,” Machado continued, “deserves an extension for A.J.”
Machado was simply reiterating his desire to see Preller given a new contract, as he enters the final season of his deal. Asked about Machado’s lobbying, Preller smiled and said: “You give out a $300 million contract, you get those kinds of comments.”
Nonetheless, there’s reason for Machado to be thrilled with the addition of Castellanos.
“We go way back — born and raised in Miami, played together since we were little kids,” Machado said. “Couldn’t ask for a better teammate to come here and be a part of it. It all started in Miami, Florida, as kids, and now we’re here living every kid’s dream, playing in the big leagues at the highest level together.”
That’s another reason to think this particular change of scenery might benefit Castellanos. It’s a fresh start in a clubhouse ready to embrace him — on a team that could sure use his bat.
“They’re giving me an opportunity,” Castellanos said. “That’s all I can ask for. To be able to come here, be myself, work hard, make the club, earn my playing time and just help, in any way I can.”
