MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

October 28, 2022

Nick Castellanos

Minute Maid Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Philadelphia Phillies - 6, Houston Astros - 5

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Nick.

Q. On the ball that Peña hit, did you feel like you got a really good jump on it to be able to make the play?

NICK CASTELLANOS: Yeah, I did. Moments like that you just, on defense you're pretty locked in. So I felt like I read the swing pretty well and as soon as I saw the direction of the ball I felt like I got a good jump on it.

Q. After Altuve stole second it looks like you moved in a little bit for the next pitch. What made you make that decision to be in a little closer and to be able to put yourself in position to make such a great catch?

NICK CASTELLANOS: I don't know. I just kind of had, that was just what my instincts told me to do. I just thought he had a better chance of trying to bloop something in there than torching something over my head. So that was kind of my thought process there, just thought of it on the fly.

Q. When you guys fell behind 5-nothing and came back to the dugout, just what was being said, what was the general vibe in the dugout at that point?

NICK CASTELLANOS: Let's go to work. We've been there before. I think that's what this team does so well. We know there's no quit, really. We really respect all 27 outs and we take that seriously, and we take it personal.

Q. Rob said that that catch gave him flashbacks to Atlanta. Did it give you flashbacks to Atlanta as well, that catch that you made?

NICK CASTELLANOS: Yeah, I've had a couple people say that it seemed like a carbon copy of each other, but I'm just happy that an out was made and we were able to go on and win both those games.

Q. I know it didn't happen in the 9th inning here, but you're down in St. Louis late in the game and you come back and win Game 1. Does this feel anything like that?

NICK CASTELLANOS: Yeah, it feels just as satisfying. That was our first postseason game. So to be able to face adversity and I think only lead, I don't know how long we held the lead in that St. Louis game or how long we held the lead in tonight's game, but it wasn't very long, but it was at the end of the game when it matters.

I think that just goes back to the beginning of what I said, how this team goes to work and we respect all 27 outs.

Q. J.T.'s caught every inning of the postseason so far and caught way more innings than every other catcher in baseball this season. What impresses you about his level of play right now? He got a foul ball to the face and face mask, big hits tonight.

NICK CASTELLANOS: I mean, there's really no other way to say this other than he's just the real deal. There's very few catchers, I mean, I haven't been playing baseball very long, but long enough to know that to be able to catch as much as he does and to be able to perform the way he does and to steal bases and to take the extra base, even to hit an inside the park home run as a catcher, it's really, really impressive and he's a hell of an athlete.

Q. What did you think of the aggressive way that Rob managed this game, going to Alvarado in the 5th, going to Ranger in relief?

NICK CASTELLANOS: I honestly don't have an opinion on it other than, I mean, I trust anything that man does. That's just what he decided to do and it worked. He's the manager and we have, he has the respect and support of all the guys on the diamond. So that's the way he saw fit to manage the game, and that was a time that he wanted to make sure that we had the momentum, and that's what he decided to do and it worked.

Q. When you signed with Philly, did you assume you wouldn't see many innings in the outfield? And then when Bryce got hurt, did you just double down your work out there?

NICK CASTELLANOS: Well, I think the plan originally was that it was going to be a revolving door with me and Kyle in left, and then Bryce was going to get one or two days off a week because the goal was for everybody's legs to be as fresh as possible.

And then, you know, baseball happens and he ended up having that injury, and I gladly accepted the role of just being out there every day.

Q. I'm curious, when you're making the catch, do you have any time to think about the importance of what you're trying to do or is it all instinct or do you, you know, I know you have the instinct, but do you have time to realize, gee, I better make this catch?

NICK CASTELLANOS: I mean, I think that it's just all set with the environment before the ball's even hit. There's very few times that, you know, while I'm playing defense, as a professional like my heart is really going and just completely locked in. So the moments of importance is kind of established before the ball's even hit. So, I mean, and then once it's coming my way it's just, like you said, just kind of instincts take over.