Phillies’ Rob Thomson and Craig Kimbrel help National League end 11-year All-Star Game losing streak

SEATTLE — In the top of the fifth inning of Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, with the score tied, 1-1, in what would go on to be a 3-2 win for the National League, NL manager Rob Thomson of the Phillies made six defensive substitutions. He swapped in three Atlanta Braves infielders, added Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to left field, put Will Smith behind the plate, and put Nick Castellanos in center field.

Yes, Phillies right fielder Castellanos, who has played a total of zero innings in center field in his 15-year pro baseball career.

“I’d never played a game in center field in my whole life,” Castellanos said, after scoring on the Elías Díaz homer that helped propel the NL’s first All-Star Game win since 2012 . “Not even tee ball.”

Thomson brought the idea to Castellanos when the team was in Miami. He didn’t have any center fielders on his roster. Castellanos didn’t hesitate to give his manager an answer.

“He asked me if I’d be up for it because I guess Gurriel and [Juan] Soto were there and I guess, saying that I graded out better than them or whatever,” Castellanos said. “So he offered it to me, and I said, “Absolutely.’”

Unfortunately for Castellanos, he didn’t get many opportunities to flash his glove. No fly balls were hit his way, which he said was “frustrating.” But he enjoyed the experience nonetheless.

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“I mean, I’m not going to be vocally lobbying to play center field,” he said. “If they ever ask me to do it, I’m too much of a kid to say no. But I am proud of myself that...if people would’ve seen me play third base in the big leagues, try to learn to play right field, what everybody has said about my defense, I can now say I’ve played center field in a major league baseball game. And I’m proud of that.”

Castellanos went 1-for-2 on Tuesday, hitting a line drive single to left field in the ninth, with a walk and a run. The walk came against Félix Bautista in the eighth inning. Bautista, who hit 100 mph in one of his pitches to Castellanos, was a tough opponent, but Castellanos grinded out the nine-pitch at-bat, nonetheless.

“It was just a cool moment,” he said. “That was my first time getting on base in an All Star Game. First time scoring a run. Being able to watch all that unfold… it was just enjoyable.”

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Thomson had Craig Kimbrel warm up in the bullpen. Kimbrel battled through his first at-bat against Wander Franco. Nine pitches later, Franco hit a fastball 348 feet to right field that almost got out, but didn’t.

He struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the next at-bat. He allowed a walk to Kyle Tucker after that, which brought Julio Rodríguez to the plate in front of his home crowd to chants of “Ju-li-o.” Rodríguez walked. But 30 pitches after he took the mound, Kimbrel got the job done, with a strikeout of José Ramírez.

“I’ve had opportunities to pitch but never this opportunity,” Kimbrel said. “I threw quite a few more pitches than I wanted to but I’m glad Topper stuck with me and let me get that opportunity.”

When Zac Gallen took the mound on Tuesday night, he did so wearing bright teal cleats. Inside them was some stitching in black letters: “TW 99.” They belonged to Taijuan Walker. Gallen got them from his former Diamondbacks teammate, Archie Bradley, when he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds.

“I don’t even know if Tai knows I have them,” he joked.

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Regardless, it felt fitting that Gallen, a native of South Jersey and a Bishop Eustace grad, would be wearing something that pertains to Philadelphia. It also felt fitting that he was playing under Phillies manager Thomson.

The two drove to the ballpark together on Monday.

“It’s funny, all of my family and friends were more pumped that I got to ride in the car with Philly Rob than me actually being in the All-Star game,” Gallen said. “The city loves him. He’s a great guy.”

Gallen’s mother was born in South Philly. She was raised on the Phillies’ teams of Mickey Morandini and Larry Bowa. He said that his family is sports-crazy, as far as Philly fans go.

“She doesn’t call into WIP but other family members do,” he said. “I think my brother’s friend calls once a month. But I will say, whenever I go home, and she’s driving, WIP is on.”

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