Castro OK after sore left side leads to pinch-hitter

May 9th, 2016
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NEW YORK -- Starlin Castro doesn't think there is much need to fret over his health status.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi elected to pinch-hit for Castro in the ninth inning of the Yankees' 5-1 loss to the Red Sox on Sunday night, replacing him with Ronald Torreyes for what ended up being the final out of the game. Girardi revealed after the game that he took the precaution because Castro reported some pain in his rib cage after he was thrown out at third base in the seventh inning.
Castro, however, doesn't think the injury is too much of a concern.
"I'm all right. I'm good. I think I'll play tomorrow," Castro said. "Let's see how I feel tomorrow morning when I wake up, and then just call and let them know."
The injury came on a bizarre play. With the Yankees trailing, 4-0, with Mark Teixeira at the plate and just one out, Castro stood on third base. Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright threw a knuckleball in the dirt and Castro broke for home, thinking the stray pitch had trickled away from catcher Ryan Hanigan. Hanigan had the ball secure, however, and threw back to third. Castro quickly changed direction and headed back to third, but he wasn't on time. In that change of direction right before he dove, that's when he said the injury happened.
"That completely confused me," Castro said of the play. "I see past the catcher and I go, but then I hear, 'Stop! Stop! The ball is right there!' And that's what happened."
Castro also said he met with the team doctor and the only course of action they took was to ice what they are describing as a sore left oblique. Castro went down to the batting cage and took some swings prior to being removed from the game and said he felt fine, but Girardi erred on the side of caution, saying that had the game been closer or had a couple of men been on base, he likely would've sent Castro out there.

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Nick Suss is a reporter for MLB.com based in New York.