Reds sign OF Nicholas Castellanos to four-year deal

[Ron Madden]

Brandon Saho
@BrandonSaho
May 2
"This is probably the closest team I've been on." Nick Castellanos says this 2021 Reds team is the most genuine team he's been a part of in the big leagues.
@WLWT
#Reds

watch https://mobile.twitter.com/BrandonSa...89514652164096

[TexasRedsFan]

IMO, Cast being a Red beyond this year is gonna depend more on how the team finishes and whether they seem committed to winning rather than his personal stats.

It seems like he really enjoys his teammates and playing in a hitter's haven like GABP. Of course he could decide to chase more money, but I believe there's better than a 50% chance he stays, provided ownership doesn't just sell off at the deadline.

[cincinnati chili]

I agree with holding our nose for the opt out, if it was take it or leave it. But there’s a lot of risk. mentally we should think of this as a 1 year deal. If he has a good year, he’s gone. If he sucks, we have to keep him and pay him more than he’s worth.

The odd man out here should be Galvis. Not Senzel and probably not Winker or Aquino. Suarez to short, Moose to third Senzel to 2b. Winker/Ervin/Aquino platoon on a corner. One or two of the 3 will be needed as regulars in 2021 when Castellanos bolts.

So I was wrong to say Castellanos would bolt after 2020. Didn’t expect him to post a sub .300 OBP and a zero WAR. But all y’all who derided me owe me some serious Nostradamus level street cred for predicting Suarez would be our shortstop this year. Sometime I forget how awesomely prescient I am.

[REDREAD]

Castellanos will have a strong lean toward opting out because he’s 29. It’s a good age to be in the FA market. Better than two years from now, after his age 31 season.

So yes, at 122 wRC+ over three years I’m pretty confident he’ll opt out.

I think it's probably at least 80% likely that Cast opts out if he finishes the season healthy.
In addition to the reasons that you and the others have posted.. he has said many times that he wants to play on a winner and his actions also indicate that. When he gets interviewed after a Reds' loss, he does not seem happy. He's a great
example for the young kids on the team.. However, I think this season, watching the bullpen blow games will take a toll on him.
He's got to be thinking that it's unlikely that he's going to win in the next 2+ years in Cincy.
Honestly, I think the only thing that would keep him here is if Krall and/or Bell sit down with him and convince him that the Reds are going to add talent in the 2021 offseason, that they just cheaped out this year due to Ohio restricting ballpark attendence.
I think he wants to win that badly. He doesn't have to have that great of a season to get a contract as good as he has for the last 2 years of this deal. He's likely to finish the season with strong numbers, plus 1/2 of his games in the GAB and a lot of games vs the weak NL Central is likely to really pad his offensive numbers.. Not only that, he's showing that he can actually play RF this year. Only one misplay that I remember, and he recovered and gunned the Cub out at 3b.

[Kc61]

I think it's probably at least 80% likely that Cast opts out if he finishes the season healthy.
In addition to the reasons that you and the others have posted.. he has said many times that he wants to play on a winner and his actions also indicate that. When he gets interviewed after a Reds' loss, he does not seem happy. He's a great
example for the young kids on the team.. However, I think this season, watching the bullpen blow games will take a toll on him.
He's got to be thinking that it's unlikely that he's going to win in the next 2+ years in Cincy.
Honestly, I think the only thing that would keep him here is if Krall and/or Bell sit down with him and convince him that the Reds are going to add talent in the 2021 offseason, that they just cheaped out this year due to Ohio restricting ballpark attendence.
I think he wants to win that badly. He doesn't have to have that great of a season to get a contract as good as he has for the last 2 years of this deal. He's likely to finish the season with strong numbers, plus 1/2 of his games in the GAB and a lot of games vs the weak NL Central is likely to really pad his offensive numbers.. Not only that, he's showing that he can actually play RF this year. Only one misplay that I remember, and he recovered and gunned the Cub out at 3b.

If so, Reds should be thinking about a deadline trade for Nick. Just preliminary, but get ready.

IMO the team will need to trade value to get more good young pitching.

[Ron Madden]

This is cool, check it out.

https://mobile.twitter.com/nightenga...174592/photo/1

[jwdoc77]

This is cool, check it out.

https://mobile.twitter.com/nightenga...174592/photo/1

Man...with that Larkin/Davis comment he’s pretty much solidified himself as a favorite of mine. Gonna sting worse than Bauer did this offseason when he opts out and signs elsewhere next year.

[sdwagers]

Hopefully this lasts longer than the rest of this season.

[WrongVerb]

Nice. I like that.

[JFLegal]

ha, that's awesome.

[TexasRedsFan]

Love that! And I'm sure Nick does too. Would've been even sweeter if they'd waited until the Cards come back to town to unveil it.

[DocRed]

Definitely not a coincidence. Doubt it matters though. Even if his hitting cools off the fact that he has improved his D so much this year increases his chances to opt out which is way north of 50% IMO. I think he is gone unless we restructure his contract. Let's hope Krall is on the phone at least testing the waters in a climate that will never be more friendly for contending teams needing a corner outfielder. Yankees, Braves, ChiSox, Mets and Padres are all in the market for various reasons. Worst case scenario is that we get a Comp Round A pick for him so there is no reason to sell low though.

[Moose Herd]

I'm not sure it's a done deal he opts out. With the CBA being up after the season he may take the sure thing rather than take the chance there's a long lockout, and afterwards, the owners not signing may LTC.

[Tom Servo]

I think it's far more likely than not that he opts out but I agree that it shouldn't be taken as fait accompli. Maybe an extension of his current deal could satisfy him.

[Ron Madden]

Did Nick Castellanos expect this type of start to the season for himself?

"To say yes would sound arrogant" he said. "I understand how difficult this (expletive) game is. I'm just really enjoying my time. I'm really enjoying my time as a Cincinnati Red. I'm just doing the best I can to emulate the way that (Barry) Larkin and Eric Davis and these guys played the game when they were here, the way they were able to pretty much just make Cincinnati the baseball city that it is.

Bobby Nightengale cincinnati.com