Chicago manager Joe Maddon praises former Cub Starlin Castro before Yankees’ visit

Starlin Castro will not receive a 2016 World Series ring, but the former three-time National League All-Star shortstop will be honored before Friday’s game against the New York Yankees at Wrigley Field.

Joe Maddon, who took away Castro’s starting shortstop position with two months left in the 2015 regular season, expressed his appreciation for Castro’s professionalism and current success with the Yankees.

“He was very big,” Maddon recalled Thursday. “That permitted Addison (Russell) to become the shortstop. I remember talking to (Castro) in the manager’s office, sitting across from me. He didn’t blanch. He didn’t make an excuse. He didn’t cry or scream or say, ‘What are you doing?’

“I told him, ‘You’re not going to play for a couple days. I’m not quite sure how we’re going to get this quite working again. I want you to start working out at second base.’ ”

Maddon sdescribed Castro’s handling of the situation as “outstanding,” adding that he was pleased that his former infielder can handle “the big lights in New York.”

Maddon observed Castro hustling to avoid a double play that enabled the Yankees to rally to a recent victory.

“He was a great teammate here,” Maddon said. “I really thought I had a great relationship with him. I really enjoyed him. He was not an excuse maker. When anything went poorly, he stood tall, I thought.”

Castro’s three All-Star seasons were tempered by struggles and lapses in concentration. Maddon concurred with a reporter’s theory that playing for five managers could have confused Castro.

“It’s difficult for an organization when you’re changing things over like that,” Maddon said. “Because when you do, the philosophy changes annually. And it’s really a lot of mixed messages that occur. A young guy like that, his best resource was that he was so good, that he was immune to it in some ways.

“However, I know different perceptions, different people view things differently and maybe some of it was deserved. I’m not sure. But they had gotten on Starlin about different items, but my experience was that he was outstanding when I was there, we were together here.”

Closer Aroldis Chapman, who joined the Cubs in late July before returning to the Yankees as a free agent, will receive his World Series ring in a pregame ceremony with president Theo Epstein and Maddon attending.

Reliever Adam Warren, whom the Cubs traded as part of a package deal to acquire Chapman, also will receive a World Series ring.