Meet David Hensley, tile shop worker-turned-World Series starter for the Houston Astros

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On a brilliant-looking Tuesday for the World Series, the Astros' David Hensley might appreciate the opportunity to start in Game 3 more than anyone else.

With manager Dusty Baker seeking a spark in the designated hitter spot, Hensley was inserted as the DH, marking his first-ever start in the World Series.

"It's awesome. I've never felt anything like that in my whole life. Being so new and getting some recognition from people who live here in the city, fans, I mean that's everything," Hensley said.

There are long-shot World Series stories. Then, there's Hensley. He's two years removed from working shifts in a tile shop in California.

"(I was) kind of just sitting around, needed to make some money. One of my buddies worked at a place called San Diego Marble and Tile," Hensley recalled.

Hensley moved boxes of tile and filled orders for almost a year during the pandemic. Along the way, he noticed a change.

"My days would start early in the morning. I would go to work and I would be lifting stuff all day, moving around. Then, I would head to the gym afterwards. A couple of months later, I was feeling kind of strong," Hensley said.

The added strength made him a better hitter. The 26-year-old caught Baker's eye this spring, and Hensley contributed down the stretch after a promotion from the minors.

The man who worked hard in the tile shop goes to work in the World Series.

"(It) takes a second every once in a while. You stand back and you see from the outside, and it's pretty awesome for sure. I came a long way," Hensley said.

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