Phillies' Nick Castellanos named to NL All-Star team
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After a down first year in Philadelphia, Nick Castellanos has bounced back. The slugger was named to the NL All-Star team Sunday for the second time in his career.
He made it in 2021 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. The 2023 MLB All-Star Game will take place in Seattle on Tuesday, July 11.
Castellanos leads the Phillies in batting average at .316, he's tied for first with Alec Bohm for RBIs with 54 and has smacked 12 homers.
One of those homers came in Sunday's 5-4 loss vs. the Washington Nationals. On Saturday, he hit another long-ball in the team's 19-4 victory over the Nats -- the Phillies' lone win of the series.
Castellanos is the Phillies' only All-Star.
Bryce Harper had the potential to start the game, but he lost the vote to be the NL's DH to J.D. Martinez of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Castellanos signed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Phillies before the 2022 season. He had a poor first season in Philadelphia and only hit 13 homers with 62 RBIs, but he's set to surpass both of those numbers in no time.
After the Phillies dropped two games to the Nationals, they'll be off Monday and hit the road for two series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins before the All-Star break.
Philadelphia currently sits at 44-39, good for third in the NL East, and trail the Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Dodgers, San Franciso Giants and Miami Marlins in the wildcard hunt.
