The Detroit Tigers have placed shortstop Niko Goodrum on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 2, with a right oblique strain, the team announced Saturday.
Taking his place on the roster is infielder Sergio Alcantara, who is already on the traveling taxi squad for the current five-game series against the Minnesota Twins. The 24-year-old has yet to make his major league debut.
After flying out to end the top of the eighth inning Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, Goodrum sauntered back to the dugout. He was visibly in pain, clutching his abdomen area. After the 12-1 win, Goodrum told manager Ron Gardenhire that he was OK, but further evaluations from head athletic trainer Doug Teter and the medial staff proved otherwise.
[ How the Tigers plan to adjust as JaCoby Jones’ season ends with fractured hand ]
Goodrum has not played since.
“We did some soft-toss with him, went in and watched,” Gardenhire said Saturday. “Right-handed, he doesn’t feel anything. But left-handed, he was getting a bite. Normally, talking with Dougie, these things don’t just go away when you get them. They take a little time. We’re going to give him this time and see how he is.”
[ Tigers prospect Sergio Alcantara ready to make this weakness a strength ]
Goodrum only feels the pain when he is hitting from the left-side of the plate — not when he’s throwing or doing infield drills. There’s a chance he only bats right-handed the rest of the season, Gardenhire said. From the right side against lefties, he is 8-for-26 (.308) with two homers and six RBIs.
While Goodrum recovers, Willi Castro will serve as the everyday shortstop.
Through 15 games, the 23-year-old Castro is slashing .333/.340/.529 with two doubles, one triple, two homers and eight RBIs. Goodrum, meanwhile, has a .186 batting average, five homers and 17 RBIs in 31 contests.
Evan Petzold is a sports reporting intern at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here’s how you can gain access to our most exclusive Detroit Tigers content.