Padres Designate Struggling Slugger Nick Castellanos for Assignment

The San Diego Padres have designated veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos for assignment, a move signaling a significant downturn in his performance this season. Castellanos, 34, has struggled at the plate, posting a mere .191 batting average across 39 games, a stark contrast to his career statistics.

This designation comes after Castellanos was released by the Philadelphia Phillies earlier in the year. Despite having a year remaining on a substantial contract with the Phillies, they opted to part ways with him, agreeing to pay his $20 million salary for the current season. The Padres subsequently signed Castellanos to a league-minimum contract valued at $780,000.

His tenure with the Padres has been disappointing, marked by 4 home runs and 20 RBIs alongside the low batting average and a .560 OPS. In response to Castellanos's struggles, the Padres have promoted utility player Samad Taylor from their Triple-A affiliate, El Paso, adding him to the 40-man roster.

Castellanos has had a lengthy MLB career spanning 14 seasons and 1727 games, accumulating 254 home runs and a career .270 batting average. He has previously played for the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, and now the Padres. The move signifies a difficult decision for the Padres as they look to optimize their roster.

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We have designated 1B/OF Nick Castellanos for assignment and selected the contract of INF/OF Samad Taylor from Triple-A El Paso. Taylor will wear No. 0.