PHILADELPHIA — Harold Castro had already taken early batting practice and was hanging out when Triple-A Toledo manager Doug Mientkiewicz pulled him into his office at Fifth Third Field around 3 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.
“You’re going to the big leagues,” Mientkiewicz said. “And you’re going to fly at 6 (p.m.), so you better hurry up.”
Thus began the craziest day of Castro’s professional career, which began starting at third base and hitting fifth for the Mud Hens and was capped hours later by a first-pitch, pinch-hit single in the ninth inning of the Detroit Tigers’ 3-1 win.