Joe Maddon Defends Phillies' Rob Thomson's Nick Castellanos Decision
Ahead of the second game against the Miami Marlins, the Philadelphia Phillies lineup came out with a surprise omission. Nick Castellanos, the team's right fielder for the past three years, wasn't in the lineup. He had been benched.
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Before the game, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Castellanos said something inappropriate when he was pulled late in the game Monday night for a defensive substitution. Castellanos backed up that statement and moved forward past it.
But, there were still a lot of Phillies fans irate at Thomson for benching Castellanos. The next day, during an appearance on Foul Territory, former MLB manager Joe Maddon defended Thomson's decision to bench Castellanos, emphasizing his enhanced respect for Thomson.
"The situation with Rob, he had a choice there. He could've chosen not to say anything at all. He could've just taken what Nick said after the game, called him to the office, yelled at one another, and then figured it out after that. But he made up his mind to do what he did. I do respect what he did, that is, he was honest with the press. He didn't give it any executive talk, and I love that about him."
Thomson's decision to bench Castellanos and come forward, not mincing words, was something that stood out to Maddon. He respected Thomson for his integrity in benching Castellanos, because if he had made up a random excuse, then there could've been more backlash.
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It's been a tumultuous ride for the Phillies in 2025, with plenty of ups and downs. The Castellanos situation is another factor that will have an impact this year.
Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (59) walks off the field against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park.Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
However, based on how Thomson handled things, it's unlikely to carry over and have a massive impact down the stretch.
Being honest with Castellanos and the media is a sign of a good manager. Maddon, someone who has years of experience managing MLB clubs himself, also acknowledged how vital Thomson's handling of the situation was.
Managing a team and its diverse personalities is one of the toughest challenges in MLB. While plenty of fans may not have agreed with Thomson's approach, the outcome could have been far worse if he hadn't chosen transparency.
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Maddon's assessment of Thomson's handling is correct; if he had botched this drama, the Phillies' season could have begun spiraling out of control.
Related: Phillies' Nick Castellanos Sends Six-Word Message After Rob Thomson Benching
Related: Phillies' Nick Castellanos Defended By Wife Jess on Social Media Amid Benching
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
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