Minneapolis — Harold Castro was taking swings in the batting cage on Monday, when Tigers manager Ron Gardnhire walked up to him.
As Castro recalled it, Gardenhire said, “So you’ve never played a game up here?” And Castro, who spent eight seasons, since he was 16, grinding his way through the Tigers farm system, said no.
“He said, ‘OK, you are starting at shortstop tomorrow,’” Castro said. “I said, ‘Oh, OK.’ ”
It was at the urging of his coaching staff, particularly hitting coach Lloyd McClendon and first base coach Ramon Santiago, that Gardenhire decided to play Niko Goodrum at first and give Castro his first big-league start.