Cardinals Eyeing Phillies' Castellanos Amid Offseason Saga

St. Louis looking to add right-handed bat, Castellanos could be available in trade

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The St. Louis Cardinals are closely monitoring the situation with Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos, who has reportedly been told not to report to spring training as the Phillies look to move on from the veteran slugger. With the Cardinals in the market for a right-handed bat to fill a hole in their outfield, the 33-year-old Castellanos could be an ideal fit if the Phillies are willing to eat part of his remaining contract.

Why it matters

The Cardinals have been upfront about their desire to add another right-handed bat to their lineup, and Castellanos would provide a proven power threat from that side of the plate. If the Phillies are indeed eager to part ways with Castellanos, it could present the Cardinals with an opportunity to acquire him at a discounted price, which would be a significant boost to their offense.

The details

Castellanos is owed $20 million in the final year of his five-year, $100 million contract with the Phillies. If Philadelphia is willing to eat a portion of that salary, it could make Castellanos an even more attractive trade target for the Cardinals, who are looking to fill the void left by the injury to Lars Nootbaar. Castellanos is a two-time All-Star who has proven to be a consistent power hitter throughout his 11-year MLB career.

  • The Cardinals have been open about their desire to add a right-handed bat this offseason.
  • The Phillies have reportedly told Castellanos not to report to spring training as they look to move on from the veteran outfielder.

The players

Nick Castellanos

A 33-year-old outfielder who has spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies after signing a five-year, $100 million contract in 2021.

Chaim Bloom

The chief baseball officer for the St. Louis Cardinals, who has acknowledged the team's interest in adding a right-handed bat to their lineup.

Lars Nootbaar

A Cardinals outfielder who is not expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 season due to injury, creating a need that Castellanos could potentially fill.

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What they’re saying

“I sound like a broken record here. We haven't lined up on it just yet. I think I said this last time. There's a couple of guys that we've made some runs at whether it was trades or free agency where it didn't line up with certain guys for various reasons. We're going to continue to do that. Nothing up our sleeve at the moment. I expect that this is something that we'll probably actually go into camp as we continue to look and improve our roster.”

— Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer, St. Louis Cardinals (KMOX Sports)

What’s next

The Cardinals will likely continue to monitor the Castellanos situation and engage in trade discussions with the Phillies in the coming weeks, with the goal of potentially acquiring the veteran outfielder to bolster their lineup.

The takeaway

This potential trade would represent a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for the Cardinals to add a proven power bat to their lineup without having to commit significant long-term resources. If the Phillies are indeed willing to eat part of Castellanos' contract, it could make the deal even more appealing for St. Louis as they look to improve their roster ahead of the 2026 season.