Nick Castellanos celebrates Father's Day on the field with baseball-loving son Liam

On June 2, Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies had a record of 25-32, and were tied with the Washington Nationals for the last place in the NL East. Ever since, their star outfielder has been a significant part of a big rally.

The defending NL champs were also languishing at the beginning of June 2022. At that point, the team had a record of 22-29. They battled all the way to the 2022 World Series, where they eventually lost to the Houston Astros.

Ahead of Sunday, the Phillies have gone on a 12-2 tear. Outfielder Nick Castellanos has been the team's best hitter this month, hitting .403/.426/.629 with 3 home runs and 14 RBIs over his last fifteen.

Ahead of their game on June 18 against the Oakland Athletics, MLB posted a heartwarming video of Castellanos and his son, Liam. The video has priceless reflections from young Liam juxtaposed against video of the youngster taking the field with his dad during Phillies batting practice.

"The relationship between Nick Castellanos and his son, Liam, is awesome." - MLB

Philadelphia Phillies fans, who are already enthralled by Nick Castellanos' strong hitting ability, loved the clip. Many commented underneath the video, praising Liam Castellanos for his endearing words and presentable nature.

Despite signing a five-year deal worth $100 million, 2022 represented the worst offensive season of Castellanos' career. The Florida-born outfielder registered a .263 batting average, alongside 13 home runs and 62 RBIs, his worst stats since his sophomore MLB season in 2014 as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

Heading into Sunday, the Phillies are back in third place in the NL East, eight games behind the Atlanta Braves. The team's on-base percentage has been fourth in the MLB since June 3, owing in large part to Nick Castellanos.

Nick Castellanos streak is proof that the Phillies have hit their stride

In addition to Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner all appear to be hitting their strides. Last season, the Phillies showed us why they should not be discounted as a team.

With an electric mixture of young talent, experience, and commanding starpower, everyone knows that the Phillies have a winning recipe. Now, the team will need to prove to fans in Philly that 2022 was not a fluke, and that the current roster possesses every capability that was showcased by last year's group of players.