Categories: Phillies Nuggets with Tim Kelly

Nick Castellanos aiming to become first Phillie to start 162 games since 2007

Nick Castellanos has played every game for the Phillies this season. (Grace Del Pizzo/Phillies Nation)

Nick Castellanos is in the starting lineup for the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday against the Washington Nationals. It’s the 121st time he’s been in the lineup in 121 games this season.

With the finish line of the regular season in sight, Castellanos was asked Wednesday if he believes playing all 162 games this season is achievable.

“To play every game in a season? I think is achievable, yes,” Castellanos said.

OK, of course, it’s technically achievable. But is it a goal that the 32-year-old has?

“It’s something I’d like to do,” Castellanos said. “[I] just prepare and get ready to win each and every day that my name is in the lineup.”

The two most recent Phillies to play in all 162 games were Freddy Galvis in 2017 and Ryan Howard in 2008. However, neither started all 162, with Galvis in the starting lineup 156 times in 2017 and Howard 158 in 2008.

Jimmy Rollins was the last player to start all 162 games in a season for the Phillies, doing so in 2007, when he won NL MVP. All 162 games came as the starting shortstop.

Castellanos has been in the starting lineup for all 121 games this season. Granted, the DH is now in the NL, something that wasn’t the case for Howard in 2008. But only four of Castellanos’ starts this season have come at DH. Castellanos has already logged more than 1,000 innings in right field this season.

Manager Rob Thomson is aware that Castellanos hasn’t had a day off yet this season, but trusts that the two-time All-Star will be honest with him if he starts to run out of gas.

“I think it is [a goal] for everybody, to tell you the truth,” Thomson said. “He doesn’t seem to slow down. He doesn’t seem to get fatigued. And when he does, if he does, he tells me.”

While it drew the ire of some Phillies fans that Thomson continued to put Castellanos in the lineup when he got off to an ice-cold start, the veteran undeniably has a very strong work ethic and likes to play through struggles.

Could Castellanos have benefitted from an off day at some point early in the season? Maybe, but Thomson is right when he says that Castellanos doesn’t ever seem to be out of energy. He’s also gotten better results as the season has gone along.

The .680 OPS Castellanos posted in the first half of the season was underwhelming, but he’s been one of the few Phillies who has played well since the All-Star Break, as he’s hitting .299 with an .864 OPS since the midsummer classic.

On three occasions, Castellanos has played 157 games in a season, doing so last year for the Phillies, and in both 2017 and 2018 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Barring injury, he’s going to set a new career-high for games played in a season in 2024. And perhaps he’ll become the first Phillie in 17 seasons to start all 162 regular season contests.