"Total good dad move there" - Nick Castellanos' instruction for son Liam on bat boy duty evokes heartwarming reactions from MLB fans

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Nick Castellanos and his son Liam went viral on social media as they shared a warm moment during Saturday's game against the Minnesota Twins.

The 31-year-old slugger's son was the bat boy for the team and was caught watching the ball after his dad's 408-foot home run in the second inning. On reaching the first plate, Castellanos saw that his bat was still on the ground.

He motioned his son to take it away, drawing the attention of MLB fans, with the video going viral on social media.

"Total good dad move there," tweeted one fan.

"Real parenting," added another.

Here are some of the top reactions on X:

Castellanos and his son Liam went viral on social media in July last year as well, when the slugger pointed to his son and shook his hand after a homer against the Milwaukee Brewers.

This time, Liam was in the team dugout as the bat boy for the game. However, he was caught slacking after his father's home run in the second inning, which sent the senior Castellanos into dad mode.

Nick Castellanos started his MLB career with the Detroit Tigers in 2013 and went on to play for the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds before joining the Phillies in 2022.

After a slow start to his stint in Philadelphia, the slugger had a bounce-back season last year, improving his numbers in every department. He ended the season on a high with 29 home runs, 106 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and a .272 batting average in 157 games.

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Nick Castellanos opens up about viral moment with son Liam

Philadelphia Phillies eventually scratched out a 3-2 win in their spring training game against the Minnesota Twins.

Nick Castellanos opened up about what happened with his son. Liam was simply caught up in the moment as his dad explained after the game:

“Because my bat was sitting right there. As a dad, I’ve got to hold him accountable.”

Overall, it was a positive outing for the Phillies, who will have hopes going into the new MLB season after their impressive run last year.