The Padres designated Nick Castellanos for assignment and called up Samad Taylor to the majors.

The San Diego Padres needed more offensive firepower, and Nick Castellanos's job was to provide it, but he failed to do so. As a result, the Nick Castellanos experiment in San Diego officially ended today when he was designated for assignment. This all happened just as he returned to Philadelphia with the team for a road trip.

Replacing him on the roster is Samad Taylor. Taylor's personal offensive track record is not outstanding, but he brings greater versatility to the team, capable of playing all three outfield positions as well as both middle infield spots.

"We've been discussing the roster recently, and the flexibility we want from the bench—maybe a bit more speed, some more energetic players," manager Craig Stammen said. "This allows us to have more tactical options."

Castellanos, now 34, signed a one-year contract with the Padres after being released by the Phillies in February. He was originally entering the final year of a five-year, $100 million deal that began in 2022.

"Nick is a true professional," Stammen said. "I really enjoyed his time in San Diego. When we signed him, we communicated that he would need to earn his playing time, and his role here would likely be different from what he was used to. Throughout his entire 12- to 15-year baseball career and his life before that, he was accustomed to a fixed, everyday starting role—but that wasn't going to be the case here. I think that was really tough for him. Going from playing every day to playing two days, then sitting two days—that transition was hard for him to adjust to, and it probably wasn't a situation he truly enjoyed."

In 39 games with the Padres, Castellanos batted just .191 with an OPS of .560 and hit only four home runs.

Simply put, that wasn't nearly enough. Castellanos wasn't the only Padre struggling offensively. The team ranks last in the majors in batting average and has scored the fewest runs. But Castellanos was the first to pay the price. He was brought in to provide power from the bench, and he failed to deliver.

"He's had a lot of great at-bats for us this year," said longtime friend Manny Machado, who has known Castellanos since their childhood in Miami. "It's really unfortunate how things turned out. I think everyone here loves him and appreciates what he brought every day. It's tough news to hear."

In another roster move earlier this week in Philadelphia, the Padres converted Jase Bowen's contract to a major league deal. Bowen and Taylor bring a more diverse skill set to the team, both offering speed and defense. Taylor has appeared in parts of three seasons in the majors, but has only 83 career plate appearances, batting .205 with an OPS of .532.

In 51 games with Triple-A El Paso, Taylor batted .319 with an OPS of .906. Of course, those numbers were produced in a hitter-friendly environment. But given the Padres' overall offensive struggles, especially Castellanos's individual slump, giving Taylor a chance to prove himself in the majors carries almost no risk.

"With the recent promotions of Jase and Samad, we've gained more elements of speed, defense, and versatility on the bench," Stammen said.

Castellanos returned to Philadelphia on Wednesday after an acrimonious departure from the Phillies. He did not play in that game, but the Phillies played a video montage highlighting his contributions during the team's run to the 2022 National League Championship Series. He received a mixed reaction from the crowd at Citizens Bank Park and tipped his cap from the dugout. However, with the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the seventh inning, Castellanos was not called upon to pinch-hit, foreshadowing what was to come.