Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos honors family dog by homering Friday night against the Marlins

Friday was a tough day for Philadelphia Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos. As Philadelphia took on the Miami Marlins for a night game, the outfielder had other things on his mind.

It was announced by his brother, Ryan, that their family dog, Tiger, had to be put down. The dog's name is a nod to the Detroit Tigers, who drafted him in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Tiger was in the Castellanos family since he was 19 years old, and Nick honored him the best way he could. He blasted a home run to help his club secure the victory.

"Our family dog had to be put down this morning and Nick honored him the only way he knows how. We love you Tiger" - said Ryan Castellanos.

Castellanos smoked that ball. The home run marked his third of the season. Do not let this man start to get hot at the plate.

Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos has been turning it on lately

Philadelphia Phillies - Nick Castellanos (Image via USA Today)

Nick Castellanos has been ramping it up over the last few weeks. While he got off to a bit of a shaky start, he is starting to find his groove once again. Over his last five games, he is hitting 7-for-19 and has been a sparkplug for his squad.

This is great news for the Phillies who have gotten off to a fantastic start. Heading into Saturday, they hold a 28-12 record, putting them in first place in the National League East.

Philadelphia currently holds a two-game lead on the Atlanta Braves. If Castellanos can keep this up, they could distance themselves further from the team that has won the NL East six consecutive times.

Philadelphia finishes their series with the Marlins on Sunday before taking on the New York Mets.