Phillies Release Nick Castellanos After Dugout Beer Incident

The outfielder detailed the incident in a handwritten note on Instagram before the team announced his release.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Philadelphia Phillies released outfielder Nick Castellanos on Thursday, eating a substantial amount of money to do so. Minutes before the announcement, Castellanos posted a handwritten note on Instagram detailing an incident where he brought a beer into the dugout during a game against the Marlins in June 2025. Castellanos said he apologized to manager Rob Thomson and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski after the game, and was benched the following game as punishment.

Why it matters

Castellanos' release comes after two disappointing seasons in Philadelphia, where his offensive production and defensive play declined significantly. The Phillies signed him to a five-year, $100 million contract in 2022 expecting him to be a middle-of-the-order power bat, but he failed to live up to that contract.

The details

In his Instagram note, Castellanos said he brought a Presidente beer into the dugout after being taken out of a close game against the Marlins. He said he sat next to manager Rob Thomson and told him that "too much slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others are not conducive to us winning." Castellanos said his teammates Howie and others took the beer out of his hands before he could take a sip. After the game, Castellanos met with Thomson and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, where he apologized for letting his emotions get the best of him.

  • In June 2025, the beer incident occurred during a game against the Marlins.
  • On February 12, 2026, the Phillies released Castellanos.

The players

Nick Castellanos

A 33-year-old outfielder who was released by the Philadelphia Phillies after two disappointing seasons with the team.

Rob Thomson

The manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Dave Dombrowski

The president of baseball operations for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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What they’re saying

“OK, apparently I need to address the Miami incident. As one of my friends on the team has informed me, there is an article waiting to come out without my consent or comments about this situation. So I'm going to just share myself.”

— Nick Castellanos (Instagram)

“Shoutout to my teammates and Howie for taking the beer out of my hands before I could take a sip. (I appreciate you guys.)”

— Nick Castellanos (Instagram)

“After the game, I went into the office with Dave and Rob. We aired out our differences and the conversation ended with me apologizing for letting my emotions get the best of me.”

— Nick Castellanos (Instagram)

What’s next

The Phillies will have to absorb the remaining $20 million on Castellanos' contract after releasing him.

The takeaway

Castellanos' release highlights the Phillies' disappointment with his declining performance and inability to live up to the five-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2022. The dugout beer incident appears to have been the final straw, leading the team to cut ties with the veteran outfielder.