Overview

• Manager Rob Thomson benched outfielder Nick Castellanos for Tuesday’s game after he made an inappropriate comment upon being removed for a defensive replacement in Monday’s win over the Miami Marlins.
• The decision halted Castellanos’s consecutive starts streak at 236 games, which was the second-longest active run in Major League Baseball.
• Thomson said the move was driven by defensive strategy, inserting elite defender Johan Rojas late in games against right-handed pitching to strengthen the outfield.
• Castellanos is batting .278 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs this season but ranks among the lowest outfielders in defensive runs saved, prompting the substitution.
• Team dynamics appear unaffected as Castellanos was seen chatting with fans before Tuesday’s game, suggesting no lasting rift in the clubhouse.