Former Phillie Nick Castellanos DFA'd by San Diego Padres during series in Philadelphia

One day after receiving a video tribute during his return to Philadelphia, Nick Castellanos appears to be out of a job again.

The San Diego Padres designated Castellanos for assignment on Wednesday, hours before the second game of a three-game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia. The Friars selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor from Triple-A El Paso.

Castellanos was released by the Phillies in February just ahead of their first full-squad workout at spring training. The Phillies released him even though they owed him $20 million for the final season of a $100 million, five-year contract.

Castellanos developed a strained relationship with the Phillies in his final season, when his behavior — even more than his sagging production — became too much for the organization. The lowlight: Castellanos brought a Presidente beer into the dugout last June after he was removed from a game, which he admitted in a four-page, handwritten letter he posted to social media after his release.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters at spring training the club tried to trade Castellanos before his eventual release.

"My phone was on," Castellanos said Tuesday. "All they needed was a conversation like, this is going to be your role. Apparently, they thought it was just best for the organization that my personality wasn't in the clubhouse. Not everything that anybody does is all positive. It's not all negative. I had highs, I had lows."

In four seasons with the Phillies, Castellanos hit .260 with a .732 OPS, 82 home runs and 326 RBIs and made the 2023 NL All-Star team.

The Padres took a flier on him and spent only the league minimum of around $780,000 for him this season.

On Tuesday, Castellanos said he appreciated playing close to his wife's family in New Jersey and how his young son, Liam, became such a fixture rooting on his dad and shagging balls in the outfield that he turned into a local celebrity.

Castellanos joked he would tell Liam he needed to start walking around the Citizens Bank Park concourse with a pen because fans often stopped him for photos and autographs.

"I had a good four years here," Castellanos said.

Castellanos wasn't in the lineup against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, and he went just 1 for 8 without an RBI or run scored in three games last week at San Diego. He tipped his cap toward cheering fans after a short video tribute that highlighted some of his sliding catches from his time with the Phillies.

Castellanos never returned to his two-time All-Star form in limited action with San Diego. He hit .191 with a .560 OPS, four home runs and 20 RBIs in 39 games for the Padres.