On July 25, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos injured his knee while catching a fly ball in right field in New York. The play did not appear to have much significance at the time, but patellar tendinitis has remained in Castellanos’ knee since then. He discussed it explicitly in a recent podcast with Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Castellanos spoke extensively about how the injury has affected him (subscription required).
“I mean, it hasn’t been 100%, that’s for sure,” Castellanos stated in Arizona, according to Lauber, referring to the injury directly. “But I won’t sit here and claim that’s the reason. I’ve done and performed well when injured previously.”
Despite being injured in July, Castellanos continued to play every time his number was called. It’s unclear why he chose to play through the injuries rather than resting. It’s admirable that baseball players can endure the grind of a 162-game season, but perhaps the time off would have benefited Castellanos. Due to his recent dip in offense, he is now in a platoon role.
Nick Castellanos’ knee injury could explain his second-half performance
Rob Thomson, the Phillies’ manager, does not appear concerned that his outfielder’s injury will impede his play.
“Yeah, I consider him pretty healthy,” Thomson said Lauber. “However, it does flare up from time to time. I believe it has been bugging him on and off since that game at Yankee Stadium.
Castellanos is known among Phillies supporters for his competitiveness. He wants to play every day if given the opportunity. With the way he’s been playing, such opportunities have become increasingly rare. Prior to his injury, Castellanos had a.270 batting average and a.745 OPS in 102 games.
Since July 26, he has hit.207 with an OPS of.587 in 41 games. He’s hitting.253 this season, with a.702 OPS, 17 home runs, and 71 RBI.
If Castellanos was actually injured the entire time, his continued attempts to play appear to be hurting the club. A time on the disabled list could have provided him with the necessary rest, as well as a chance to reset mentally.
Castellanos’ comments about his and Thomson’s communication have sparked quite a controversy. The injury, combined with his poor performance, adds to the confusion and may give Phillies fans less hope that things will improve.
Castellanos has often stated that he will do whatever he can to assist the Phillies win the World Series. Perhaps isolating himself a little more and allowing himself sufficient rest in the future may keep him from experiencing a free fall like he did this season.