The Yankees were talked out of pursuing Nick Castellanos.
The team looked into trading for the Phillies slugger earlier this offseason, but backed off after receiving mixed reviews, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.
Instead, the Yankees brought back Paul Goldschmidt, who will serve as a right-handed bat off the bench and spell the lefty-swinging Ben Rice at first base.
The Yankees had also considered Austin Slater, Randal Grichuk and Ty France to fill the righty bat role.
Castellanos, who was released by the Phillies on Thursday after a turbulent 2025 season, could be a fit for the Padres, Jays, A’s, Rangers, Royals and Reds, per Heyman.
The veteran outfielder/designated hitter, who turns 34 next month, posted full-season lows with a .250 average and an on-base percentage of .294.
And he wasn’t exactly a model citizen in the locker room.
After his release, Castellanos admitted on Instagram to bringing a beer into the Phillies’ dugout after being removed from a game in Miami last June.
At the time, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said his benching in the next game had to do with an “inappropriate comment.”
In August, Castellanos appeared to call out Thomson, saying there was “no conversation” with his manager after he was pulled from a game for the slick-fielding Harrison Bader.
Shortly after the Phillies were eliminated by the Dodgers in the NLDS, Castellanos was rumored to be heading out of Philadelphia.
On Wednesday, a day before news of his release, the team told Castellanos not to report to their spring training facility.
Castellanos, a two-time All-Star, has one year and $20 million remaining on a five-year, $100 million deal he signed after the 2021 season.
