Nick Castellanos signed a five-year, $100 million contract to join the Philadelphia Phillies last season, in large part to hit homers and drive in runs.
But Castellanos managed only 13 homers in the 2022 regular season and none in the team’s postseason run to the World Series. Castellanos entered Saturday’s game against the Colorado Rockies with no home runs in 2023.
Naturally, he ripped two homers and added a double in the Phillies’ 4-3 victory. It was Castellanos’ first home run since Aug. 27, 2022.
The Phillies will now look for their third straight win and the series victory when they host the Rockies on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s all about finding that relaxed medium,” Castellanos said during a postgame interview after his 10th career multi-homer game and first in a Phillies uniform.
Castellanos ended the game with a .310 average and a major league-leading 10 doubles.
“Just based on his history for him, he’s hit home runs in the past, and I would expect him to do the same again,” manager Rob Thomson said.
The Phillies have won five of seven after a tough start.
“It’s no secret we’ve been grinding,” Castellanos said. “We’re just trying to find our footing.”
The bullpen was outstanding in Saturday’s game as Connor Brogdon, Gregory Soto, Seranthony Dominguez and Craig Kimbrel combined to toss 4 2/3 scoreless innings. They allowed three hits, struck out six and walked none.
“The bullpen was outstanding,” Thomson said.
The Phillies will send Zack Wheeler (1-1, 4.79 ERA) to the mound Sunday. In four career starts against the Rockies, Wheeler is 2-2 with a 5.16 ERA.
The Rockies will look for the series split. Yonathan Daza had two hits and an RBI while C.J. Cron and Elias Diaz added two hits apiece in Saturday’s setback.
But the Rockies lost Kris Bryant as he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the third inning. Bryant played only 42 games last season and wound up on the injured list three separate times.
After the loss, manager Bud Black said that Bryant was considered day-to-day with an SI joint and glute injury.
“His swing was compromised a little bit when he put his foot down,” Black said. “There was some pain.”
Jose Urena (0-3, 9.82 ERA) will take the ball for the Rockies on Sunday. Urena struggled in his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates as he allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Urena has allowed seven home runs in his four starts. He allowed just 10 all of last season in 17 starts.
“There were some fastballs elevated that they had good swings at out there,” Black said after the outing. “There was a slider that didn’t break to (Jack) Suwinski for the opposite-field homer. He’s got to throw the ball down more consistently.”
In Urena’s career against the Phillies, he’s 3-6 with a 4.62 ERA in 18 games (13 starts).
The Rockies did put together eight hits Saturday but went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, with eight left on base.
–Field Level Media
