Nick Castellanos reveals conversation with Dave Dombrowski about trade rumors involving Alec Bohm, Kyle Tucker

Earlier in the offseason, around mid-December, the Philadelphia Phillies reportedly wanted to trade Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos for outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros. MLB Network Radio's Jim Bowden, who reported the news, mentioned that the Astros rejected the proposed trade.

One month later, on Tuesday's edition of "The Chris Rose Rotation," Castellanos revealed his way of addressing trade rumors. The third baseman declared that the trade rumor wasn't true.

"When this thing came up with me and Alec Bohm for Tucker, I immediately grabbed my phone and sent Dave Dombrowski a picture of the article," Castellanos said (34:21 onwards). "I asked, ‘Hey, is this true?’ and Dave replied, ‘No, it’s not true.’"

Nick Castellanos shares thoughts on his relationship with Phillies president

Chris Rose was perplexed to learn Castellanos had asked front office president Dave Dombrowski directly during the height of trade rumors. He asked Castellanos why he would do that, noting that not many players would do that.

In reply, Castellanos was brutally honest, saying who else would he turn to if not the employer.

"At that point, I’m left with two possibilities: either you can’t trust the media, or Dave Dombrowski is a liar," Castellanos said. "Since I’ve been in Philly, Dave’s been a straight shooter. Every time I’ve asked him a question, he’s been honest. So, I’m going with: you can’t trust the media. I don’t have an agent now, so I just go right to the source. If I have any issues or need to raise concerns, I’ll just go to my employer."

The third baseman further delved into his relationship with the Phillies president of baseball operations.

"With Dave, there’s a little bit of familiarity. He drafted me at 18 years old. I’ve been around him a lot," Castellanos added. "I’ve been around his son a lot, too. The one thing I tell Dave is, ‘Hey, just be honest with me. Don’t beat around the bush. If you have to tell me bad news, shoot me between the eyes. Don’t lead me with breadcrumbs off a cliff.’”

As the offseason progressed, the Astros eventually traded Kyle Tucker. He was sent to the Chicago Cubs. The outfielder would become a free agent after the 2025 season.