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Nick Castellanos Padres: The San Diego Padres have moved on from veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos.
The club announced on June 3 that Castellanos was designated for assignment, bringing his time with the organization to an end less than three months into the 2026 season.
The two-time All-Star struggled at the plate during his stint in San Diego. He appeared in 39 games and primarily served in a corner outfield and designated hitter role.
Castellanos posted a .191 batting average with a .221 on-base percentage and a .339 slugging percentage before the Padres made the roster move.
The decision marks an early conclusion to the team's experiment with the veteran slugger as San Diego continues to evaluate its roster during the 2026 campaign.
The San Diego Padres have filled the roster vacancy created by the departure of Nick Castellanos.
The club recalled versatile infielder and outfielder Samad Taylor from Triple-A El Paso to join the major league roster.
San Diego enters June 3 with a 32-27 record. The Padres are looking to rebound after dropping three straight games.
In a notable coincidence, the team is in Philadelphia on June 3, the city where Castellanos previously spent part of his career.
The Philadelphia Phillies released Castellanos on Feb. 12 despite having $20 million remaining on the final year of his contract.
After signing with San Diego, the Padres were responsible only for the major league minimum salary of $780,000 for the 2026 season.
The remainder of Castellanos' guaranteed contract obligations stayed with Philadelphia.
Nick Castellanos' tenure with the San Diego Padres came to an early end after the club determined he no longer fit its plans.
Despite carrying only a modest financial commitment for the veteran outfielder, the Padres elected to move on as they continue to battle in the National League West standings.
San Diego entered the week six games behind the division leader and searching for ways to reverse its recent slide.
The decision marks a sharp turn for Castellanos, who was selected to the National League All-Star team with Philadelphia just last season.
After being released by the Phillies, Castellanos spent only a brief period on the open market before signing with the Padres during spring training.
The move was viewed as a low-risk opportunity for San Diego.
However, concerns about his performance emerged early in the season, signaling potential challenges ahead.
Those issues ultimately contributed to the Padres' decision to part ways with the former All-Star less than three months into the 2026 campaign.
Nick Castellanos struggled to find offensive consistency throughout his brief stint with the San Diego Padres.
The veteran outfielder hit just .167, collecting two hits in 12 at-bats across five games in March.
His production remained limited through the opening month of the season. By the conclusion of April, Castellanos was batting .164.
The former Silver Slugger Award winner also experienced a lengthy power drought.
He did not record his first home run of the 2026 season until April 29. Castellanos showed signs of improvement in May.
Over 20 games, he posted a .217 batting average with a .222 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage.
During that stretch, he hit three home runs and drove in 11 runs.
Despite the uptick in production, the improvement was not enough to secure his place on the roster.
The Padres ultimately decided to move on from the veteran as they continued to evaluate options for the remainder of the season.
Samad Taylor is expected to assume Nick Castellanos’ roster spot for the time being after being called up by the San Diego Padres.
The 27-year-old utility player provides additional depth as the club continues to deal with several injuries.
Veteran outfielder Ramon Laureano remains on the injured list. Catcher Luis Campusano, another right-handed bat, is also sidelined.
Veteran infielder Jake Cronenworth, who hits from the left side, is likewise unavailable due to injury.
Given those absences, the timing of the Padres' decision to part ways with Castellanos drew attention.
The organization opted to make the move before any of the injured regulars returned to the active roster.
The transaction also came during an important stretch of the season.
San Diego is in the middle of a significant series against the Philadelphia Phillies, one of the National League's stronger clubs.
The timing gives Castellanos an opportunity to reconnect with former teammates and acquaintances from both organizations as his brief tenure with the Padres comes to a close.
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