"It's a question that many Marlins fans are likely asking themselves this weekend, and with good reason. The Archbishop McCarthy product signed for the veteran's minimum Saturday with the San Diego Padres after being unceremoniously jettisoned by the Philadelphia Phillies. Philly will pay him $20 million to keep himself and his Presidentes out of their clubhouse this season despite the fact he makes $20 million and just hit 17 HRs for them last year."
"Now, the Miami Marlins might go the rest of their existence without paying someone $20 million for a single season. Veteran's minimum money though? That's a price they can afford. It's less than half of what Miami will pay Christopher Morel next season. It's almost exactly what they paid Eric Wagaman last season."
"The simple truth is that while a former All-Star with legit power, Castellanos was terrible last year. Despite that 2023 All-Star appearance, there's an argument to be made he's been in steady decline since 2021. Going back to last season again, he put up a -0.8 WAR...a number actually worse than the -0.4 WAR the aforementioned Eric Wagaman put up for Miami in 2025."
Nick Castellanos signed a veteran's-minimum contract with the San Diego Padres after being released by the Philadelphia Phillies, who will still pay him $20 million this season. The Miami Marlins had the financial capacity to add him at the veteran's minimum and Castellanos indicated willingness to move to first base due to outfield limitations. The Marlins declined to pursue him because of recent performance decline, including a -0.8 WAR last season and a pattern of decreasing production since 2021. Team evaluations favored internal options and process-driven decisions over a short-term reclamation signing.
Read at Marlin Maniac
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]