DETROIT ? Somebody had to go following the Tigers’ 0-6 start, so Detroit fired manager Phil Garner and general manager Randy Smith on Monday.

The dismissal of Garner tied the quickest firing of a manager who started the season since 1900, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Baltimore fired Cal Ripken Sr. in 1988 after the Orioles lost six games en route to an 0-21 start.

“You could bring in MacArthur, with what they gave him to work with, and he’s probably not going to come out with more wins,” Tigers outfielder Bobby Higginson said.

Baseball’s lone winless team hasn’t had a winning record or a winning April since 1993.

“It’s not only a short-term decision, it’s a long-term decision,” said Tigers president Dave Dombrowski, who will add the general manager’s duties. “We don’t have a championship-caliber club, but we haven’t played well either.”

Luis Pujols, the Tigers’ bench coach, will take over as manager on an interim basis. His debut was postponed when Monday night’s game against Chicago was rained out.

“It’s a sad day for me and also a happy day,” Pujols said.

Felipe Alou, fired last year as Montreal’s manager, was considered a top candidate to wind up with the Tigers’ job.

“I’m interested in managing,” Alou said Monday from his home.

Alou would not say whether he had been contacted by Detroit officials. Dombrowski said he has not contacted Alou, who was Montreal’s manager while Dombrowski was the Expos’ general manager from 1986-91.