The Philadelphia Phillies officially released Nick Castellanos, who spoke for the first time about last year's bench incident.

The divide between Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies had already formed before he carried that beer into the Miami Marlins' visitor clubhouse last June.

That wasn't the only boundary crossed at LoanDepot Park in June last year. However, that night was the turning point that made the Phillies decide to let go of their right fielder, who was still owed $20 million this year. The Phillies accepted the financial hit just to move on.

“We all felt that a change of scenery would be better for everyone,” said Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski at Citizens Bank Park.

Over the past two offseasons, the Phillies had been trying to trade Castellanos partly because they believed the roster and clubhouse needed a reset, but interested teams were few and far between.

Then, the incident in Miami happened that night.

“There’s been a lot said about the Miami incident,” Dombrowski said, “but I think it wasn’t just one event. Sometimes when you spend day after day together, certain points are just untenable.”

Castellanos had long been dissatisfied with how he was being used. He was emotional about his spot in the lineup and never hesitated to express it.

But on June 16, he crossed the line. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Phillies leading the Marlins 3-1, manager Rob Thomson pulled Castellanos out to strengthen defense. Thomson had repeatedly denied he would remove Castellanos in close games before. Last season, Castellanos’ defensive runs saved were -12, ranking among the lowest of 110 outfielders.

But that night in Miami, Thomson made the move. Castellanos admitted in a public Instagram letter that after being pulled, he brought a beer into the clubhouse. Multiple sources revealed he confronted Thomson and several coaches angrily, questioning their qualifications to bench him since they lacked much major league playing experience.

“Then I sat next to Rob and told him: some areas are too lax, others too strict, and that’s no way to win,” Castellanos wrote. “Thanks to my teammates and Howie (Kendrick) for taking the beer from me before I even had a chance to drink it.”

Castellanos said he spoke face-to-face with Thomson and Dombrowski after the game.

“That conversation ended with me apologizing; I admitted I lost my temper,” he wrote.

The next day, Castellanos was benched. Later, he shared right field duties with Max Kepler. In September, when asked about his new role in Arizona, Castellanos openly questioned Thomson’s communication style.

“I don’t talk much with Rob,” he said then. “He tells me to play, I play; tells me to sit, I sit. Communication has been a problem for years, at least in my experience. I was raised like my dad: direct, honest, and consistent.”

The relationship between the player and team had become irreparable. Dombrowski admitted they didn’t try to mend the rift during the offseason nor considered continuing together in 2026. Last December, the Phillies signed Adolis García for $10 million for one year, directly filling the gap.

“Often, when a good player’s role changes, friction is inevitable,” Dombrowski said. “Last year, his role did change — he was a daily starter for many years. That in itself causes issues; people don’t always sync. When these factors pile up, a change of scenery becomes the only option.”

This winter, the Phillies again tried to trade him. Some teams inquired, but no serious negotiations ever took place.

There was no point in trying further. The team is set to report for spring training next Monday.

It’s time to move on.

“It just wasn’t working,” Dombrowski said. “At some point, you have to admit the path is no longer viable. We all felt Nick needed a fresh start and wish him the best. He contributed a lot for us, spent four years here, we won games every year, and he had many clutch hits.”

Last season, Castellanos hit .250 with 17 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a 0.694 OPS. Over four years with the Phillies, he posted a .260 batting average, 0.732 OPS, and an OPS+ of exactly 100 — an average offensive player by league standards. Defensively, his -32 defensive runs saved ranked 261st out of 267 qualified defenders.

He was selected as a 2023 National League All-Star and had standout moments in the postseason.

He received cheers and boos alike.

His story with his son Liam was a touching side note in 2022 and afterward.

In a four-page Instagram letter, Castellanos thanked owner John Middleton, Dombrowski, the coaching staff, teammates, and Philadelphia fans.

At the end of the letter, he wrote:

“I love baseball. I love being a teammate, and I’m obsessed with winning. I will learn from this experience.”