We get to avoid this guy, Byron Buxton, again. | Getty Images
One of Ken Harrelson’s favorite sayings was, “It’s not who you play, it’s when you play ’em.” Like many a Hawkism, that’s partially true — both matter, after all — and the White Sox are again in good position when it comes to timing.
That’s because Sox killer Byron Buxton — .916 career OPS, 24 homers, a gazillion Defensive Runs Saved — is again out due to a hip injury, sustained Tuesday. That turned out to be huge last night, when Buxton’s spot in the lineup came up with two on with the game on the line and instead of him sending one into Canada, the batter hit into a double play. It may well come in handy today, too.
The Sox timing is also really good when it comes to Twins pitching, because they avoid both Joe Ryan and Taj Bradley this series and are facing only a very weak remainder of the rotation. Today’s starter, Bailey Ober, is the best of the rest, but the huge (6´9´´, 260 pounds) righty carries a 4.49 ERA and only has 74 strikeouts in 108 innings. Ober will face a White Sox lineup that has scored 28 runs in its last three games.
The White Sox counter with Erick Fedde, who hasn’t started a game since July 31, instead operating very successfully as the Ex-Lax (Note the excellent opportunity for product placement and income instead of just using the generic “bulk reliever.” Surprising Jerry hasn’t thought of it yet, but I’ll be happy to get a percentage of the take for coming up with it.) Why no opener today? Only The Shadow knows. Well, The Shadow and Will Venable. Fedde faces a Twins team that’s on a three-game losing streak, but is celebrating SpongeBob SquarePants Day, so may be especially inspired.
Should be a great day for baseball and SpongeBob, with temps in the 70s and moderate wind out of the from right to left. Usual broadcast suspects.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 26: Lake Bachar #71 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on from the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals, August 29, 2026, 2:15 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to bounce back after dropping the opener in their three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The Pirates are turning to the bullpen for this game, as Lake Bachar (1-3, 3.70 ERA) opens the matchup. He last pitched on August 26 against the San Diego Padres, going 1.1 innings and giving up no hits and no runs. He was an opener twice before with the Pirates, on August 16 and August 23, but he never went longer than three innings. The Pirates will have to dig into their depth today, but with Braxton Ashcraft going on Sunday, they have the opportunity to do so.
The Cardinals are handing the ball to Kyle Leahy (10-4, 3.13 ERA), who is enjoying the best year of his career. Leahy is making his 26th start of the season, and he hopes to get his fourth win in the month of August.
He went four innings, giving up two hits but did not give up a run in the team’s 6-4 loss at Citizens Bank Park in his last start. Leahy pitched against the Pirates back on April 28 at PNC Park, going 5.1 innings, giving up nine hits in an 11-7 victory.
Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Lake Bachar (1-3, 3.70 ERA) vs. Kyle Leahy (10-4, 3.13 ERA)
BD community, this is your gameday thread for today’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Chime off in the comments section below.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani during Friday night's game against the Detroit Tigers. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
Shohei Ohtani is not feeling “100%,” manager Dave Roberts revealed before the Dodgers game against the Tigers on Saturday. And that will be at the center of the team’s conversation about whether to start him Sunday.
It would be Ohtani’s first pitching start since July 3. He’s been just serving as the designated hitter in the meantime, while managing lingering inflammation and soreness in his left knee, primarily aggravated by pitching. But it’s not just his knee that’s ailing him, Roberts said after talking to the Dodgers training staff. His biceps issue from earlier in the year is part of the concern as well.
Ohtani threw a 20-pitch bullpen — shorter than his customary between-starts session — on Friday to tentatively set him up to throw the first inning Sunday.
“The knee, the body, just throwing, pitching, not 100%,” Roberts said. “What percent it is, I don’t know the answer.”
Roberts said he wanted to have clarity after the game Saturday, so he could notify Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who is set to pitch Sunday either way. If Ohtani pitches Sunday, it would be opening for Glasnow.
“I’m not going to ambush those guys, and I’m not going to ambush Glas,” Roberts said. “So I think I would say that after the game, we’ll know definitively.”
If Ohtani doesn’t pitch Sunday, Tuesday, likely before left-hander Eric Lauer, could in theory be an option. But if Ohtani doesn’t feel good enough to start Sunday, two extra days of rest probably aren’t to resolve the issue, making a longer leadup more likely.
“We’re still thinking about potentially the buildup and what that would mean, which is fair,” Roberts said. “But at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for Shohei, what’s best for us, what makes the most sense. That’s kind of where we’re at.”
The longer it takes for Ohtani to return to the mound, the fewer starts he’ll have to build up before the postseason.
“I wouldn’t bet against Shohei,” Roberts said. “But I still think that five innings to the end of the season is aggressive for anyone.”
Though Roberts said the question is more “when,” rather than “if,” Ohtani will return to the mound, the fact that Ohtani’s knee issue (and apparently biceps as well) has not yet resolved calls into question whether it makes sense for him to resume two-way duties this late in the year.
“To be quite frank, I just don’t see everything getting to 100% by the end of the season,” Roberts said. “But there’s a lot of pitchers that are not 100% and still viable. So again, it’s just not an exact science.”
If that holds true, the concern is twofold: both how Ohtani’s health could affect his performance on the mound and at the plate.
“Obviously, where we’re at right now with the pitching, the starting pitching certainly being a strength, his value offensively is hugely important, and so we can’t compromise that in any fashion,” Roberts said. “So, if throwing potentially cuts into that, that’s not worth the squeeze. So that’s something, for me, I’m very bullish on making sure we don’t compromise the hitting.”
Ohtani entered Saturday with a .218 batting average since Aug. 8, when he resumed playing catch. But Roberts pushed back on the impulse to draw a line between Ohtani’s recent offensive dip and his side work on the pitching side.
“It just hasn’t been a whole body of work on the throwing side,” Roberts said. “Honestly, for me, I think the pitch selection hasn’t been good.”
Regardless of Ohtani’s status for Sunday, the superstar’s feedback will continue to play a large role in the Dodgers’ decision-making.
“I think that as the competitor, he wants to do both, and I respect it,” Roberts said. “But nothing I’m saying changes his identity as a two-way player.
“I think in the moment, he still feels that there’s still an opportunity, and I’m not trying to say there isn’t. But I do think that at the end of the day, he’s very aware of our roster, strengths, weaknesses, and his value to the ball club, and whatever that means.”
ST. PAUL, MN - AUGUST 2026: St. Paul Saints outfielder Walker Jenkins (23) heads to first base after a walk in the first inning at CHS Field in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
In the hugely anticipated sequel to last night’s game, the Twins will be facing the Chicago White Sox again this afternoon. That’s right — the Minnesota faithful were left begging for more, and you know what? The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Here we go again.
As one door closes, another door opens. It’s not lost on me in the last few weeks of the 2026 season that Bailey Ober’s high-wire, 88-mph act, while impressive, might prelude an offseason exit from the roster. We’ve been on Joe Ryan Watch for what feels like three seasons now, but I’m a little more keyed into Bailey’s starts than I might otherwise be if he was throwing, say, 92.
He gets the start today as highly-anticipated — and quite well-received — Walker Jenkins spends his first afternoon in the major leagues. He might not have the raw headcount to rival Chicago’s slew of rookies, but he’ll probably be okay.
Trading block legend Erick Fedde is on the bump for the White Sox. this is his second stint with the White Sox, after joining them in 2024 out of Korea, then spending time with three different clubs at the big-league level last year. I bet he has some stories. But today, we’re not gonna hear them. Instead, he’s gonna pitch.
Aug 26, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A young Detroit Tigers' fan tries to get autographs outside their dugout after their game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (62-72) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (81-54)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site:True Blue LA Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (9-8, 3.30 ERA) vs. LHP Blake Snell (2-1, 2.57 ERA)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 28: Enrique Hernández #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates scoring a run in the sixth inning with Shohei Ohtani #17 while playing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 28, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blake Snell faces Keider Montero as the Dodgers look to make it two straight wins against the Detroit Tigers.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 23: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees pitches during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A 1-0 win is as nailbiting as it gets, but it’s still a win. The Yankees took the first round of this big four-game series last night, setting them up well for a good weekend. Hopefully they can do it in a less-stressful way, with two games against the Red Sox today and sending lefties to the hill in both of them.
Carlos Rodón does get the ball for the day half of today’s doubleheader, signaling a grumpy day for me. He’s on a three-win pace if he had been healthy all year, which is more than enough given he’s the fourth option in the rotation, but the aesthetic experience of him is far worse than the analytical. He’s only gone four innings his last two starts, despite allowing a single earned run in both, because his control has been rather spotty since coming off the IL (and he’s had a pitch count to consider). On a day where we’ll play two, let’s hope he figures out a bit of length and saves a bullpen that may be needed with Max Fried coming off the injured list himself. Rodón threw 76 pitches in his last outing, so that’s the baseline.
Before opening FanGraphs, I could have sworn Jake Bennett was an MLB: The Show create-a-player, but the 6-foot-6 lefty does seem to be a real person. Boston seems to run this pattern of large lefties who don’t strike many people out but somehow never give up home runs, and Bennett follows this archetype. I regret to inform Yankee fans we may see some repeats of last night given Bennett’s talents and the apparent inability of the Yankees to elevate contact against southpaws, but I also reserve the right to be surprised.
There are a couple changes to the lineup from last night, with Spencer Jones taking over in center field, Ali Sánchez behind the plate, and Amed Rosario starting at third and also batting third. I’m not sure any of those moves are necessarily upgrades from what the team had on Friday, but if they score more than one run it’s all gravy.
Rejoice for this game is back on normal channels.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV/Streaming: YES, NESN, MLB Network
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 – NYY | WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (SP) – BOS
STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Cubs have lost three straight games for just the third time since their 42-25 surge began on June 11. The first time was Aug. 19-22. In both three-game skids, the losses were by a total of five runs: three, one and one in the first span; one, two and two in the current one. The Cubs have not dropped four in a row since the final four of their 10-game losing streak, May 23-26. They have played 80 games since then. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SATURDAY IN THE PARK: The Cubs are 11-11 on Saturdays. They finished last season 20-7. They are 6-6 on Saturdays at home. They were 9-5 a year ago. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
NOT DIGGING THESE LONG BALLS: The four home runs surrendered by Cubs pitchers yesterday raised their season total to 202. At their current pace, they will end the season with 242, seven more than their team record of 235, set in 2021. There have been 14 seasons in which other teams served up 242, with a high of 305, by the Orioles in 2019. The second most were 270, by the Rockies the same year. Seven of the 14 highest totals came in 2019. The Orioles and White Sox gave up 242, both in 2017. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs trail the Pirates 6-3 going to the bottom of the eighth. Willson Contreras hits a two-run homer in that inning and Jorge Soler homers in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extras tied 6-6. The Pirates push a run across the plate in the top of the 13th, but RBI singles by Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Montero give the Cubs an 8-7 win. It happened 10 years ago today, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016.
Kevin Gausman had an outstanding start in his last outing, Monday vs. the Diamondbacks. He was flipped with Shōta Imanaga in the rotation to give Imanaga an extra rest day, so Gausman is going on normal four days’ rest.
He has not faced the Reds since 2024 so most current Reds have a pretty small sample size against him. The exception is Eugenio Suárez, who as you know just kills Cubs pitching. Against Gausman, Suárez is 8-for-26 (.308) with two home runs. Suárez also homered off Gausman in Game 5 of last year’s ALCS.
Be careful here, Kevin.
Coming off a 2025 when he was an All-Star and finished eighth in Cy Young voting, hopes were high for Andrew Abbott’s 2026 season.
He has not been as good. Five starts in August: 5.40 ERA, 1.482 WHIP. He did throw 5.2 shutout innings against the Cubs May 5 at Wrigley Field, but the Cubs got to him for four runs in four innings July 12 in Cincinnati.
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) looks on from the dugout during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on August 26, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Dodgers finish off the road trip with one more game against the Tigers on Sunday morning at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Tyler Glasnow is back on the mound on four days rest after throwing five innings on Tuesday in Atlanta in his return from the injured list. He allowed three runs in the first inning but struck out seven and didn’t allow anything else the rest of the way.
Glasnow is either going to start on Sunday or will follow Shohei Ohtani after one inning. On Saturday morning in Detroit, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani is not 100 percent and the decision on whether Ohtani will pitch on Sunday will come after Saturday’s game.
Shohei Ohtani isn’t feeling 100% overall (not just the knee), Dave Roberts said. The team is still talking over whether it makes sense to start him Sunday for 1 inning. Roberts would like to finalize that decision in time to tell the Tigers, Tyler Glasnow know after today’s game.
“Good to get him back in the lineup,” interim manager Andy Green said Saturday. “He’s worked incredibly hard over the last few weeks; he’s done a lot of it behind the scenes… he’s pushed himself in a way you don’t, frankly, see a lot of veterans push themselves when your team is in this type of situation we’re in.
“I think that speaks volumes to his desire to be on the field, to his desire to play.”
Soto has been on the shelf since late July when he sustained a left calf strain, the second time a calf ailment has sent him to the sidelines this year. He will make his return from the IL without making any rehab appearances and go right into the lineup Saturday as the DH and batting second.
As far as Soto’s workload, Green said there is an element that remains day-to-day, which he said explains the club being “cryptic” around a return date.
“We’ll check him daily; that will be part of the process,” the skipper said. “If he needs a day, he will get a day. There will be some days [off] scheduled at the outset that we do have… It’s just day-by-day, and if he’s feeling great and things look good, then there’s no manager in the world that doesn’t want to pencil him into the two-hole every day.”
Adding later: “Excited to get your best players back on the field.”
And that was a real shame for Soto and the Mets, as the slugger was in the middle of a fantastic year in the batter's box. In 84 games, Soto had 21 home runs and 52 RBI with a .283/.408/.539 slash line for a .947 OPS (164 OPS+ and 158 wRC+) and was named an NL All-Star starter.
Soto missed a bit over two weeks in early April (that time in the right calf) before he sustained a Grade 2 strain in the left calf during a game with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 24.
In a corresponding move, infielder Eric Wagaman has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 28: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres reacts after hitting a single in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This was a tough one to watch. The San Diego Padres gave up nine runs in their series opener versus the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s a crucial stretch for the Friars, where every win matters as the Arizona Diamondbacks attempt to claw their way into the postseason. The Padres own the final Wild Card spot for the time being, but several teams are knocking on the door.
San Diego will need to, at bare minimum, force the rubber match in today’s game if they hope to stay a step ahead of the remaining National League contenders. The Friars knew that Tampa Bay would be a tough opponent, but last night’s series opener was an indication of just how difficult the Rays are to beat.
Taking the mound
Nick Martinez (TB) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
The former Padre has been putting up ridiculous numbers this season. Through 25 games, Martinez has a 13-4 record and a 2.93 ERA. That has been an unprecedented level of success for the veteran pitcher. Martinez went to Tampa Bay on a throwaway, one-year contract. That has turned out quite well for the Rays.
Martinez spent two seasons in San Diego (2022-23). At the time, they were the two best seasons in his career with a combined 3.30 ERA. Martinez left the Friars for the Cincinnati Reds before turning in one of the best seasons of his career in Tampa Bay this year.
On the other side of the mound, Buehler has been one of the most valuable pitchers in baseball for San Diego. That’s not inherently due to an otherworldly performance, but his availability with the Friars has been an anchor in their injury-plagued rotation.
That being said, the numbers aren’t awful. Buehler owns a 4.63 ERA through 126 1/3 innings pitched. Those are incredibly modest numbers for the valuable season that Buehler has had. Earlier this year, Buehler gave up a whopping 20 runs across just 11 innings. Without that blip, his ERA goes down to a much more respectable 3.51 mark.
Batter up!
The lineup was surprisingly potent, scoring four runs against Tampa Bay’s pitching staff. All of those runs came in the fifth and sixth innings, with the Friars scoring in a bases-loaded opportunity alongside of a Jackson Merrill home run. The San Diego pitching staff was the reason for this loss, though four runs isn’t exactly something to write home about either.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Manny Machado, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Luis Campusano, C
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Gavin Sheets, DH
Luis Rengifo, LF
Merrill continued his torrid streak in the second half, hitting his 22nd home run of the season in last night’s contest. It’s been a bit of a two-faced performance from the center fielder, but he’s been better as of late, going 4-for-6 in his last two games.
Relief corps
Casey Mize, despite struggling to pitch through five innings, performed better than it seems. Yes, Mize gave up seven runs, but only two of them were earned. The Padres were throwing the ball all over the field for the entirety of the Rays’ five-run fourth inning. That forced Mize to work around the errors (though he himself was the cause of one).
Mize making it through five allowed the Padres’ bullpen to be somewhat untarnished. Only recent returner David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Griffin Canning were used. Canning was the only one to pitch a scoreless outing of the trio. That will leave Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez available for tonight’s game.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 26: Héctor Rodríguez #43 of the Cincinnati Reds round the bases after he hit a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Oracle Park on August 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds smashed and bashed their way past the Chicago Cubs during Friday’s series opener in Wrigley, taking home an impressive 10-8 victory that may or may not have included them nearly giving the game away late.
Tyler Stephenson smashed a huge 3-run homer. Sal Stewart, Jose Trevino, and even TJ Friedl homered, too, and youngster Hector Rodriguez chipped in with another multi-hit game (with a walk).
Hector, in particular, was a player that stood out. After smashing a pair of homers in the series finale against the San Francisco Giants earlier in the week while batting leadoff, he was dropped to the #9 hole on Friday due to the start of a southpaw by the Cubs. Undeterred, he smashed an RBI-single off lefty David Peterson in the Top of the 4th and finished the game 2 for 3 with a walk, ribbie, and pair of runs scored.
Hector’s on a heater, and manager Terry Francona knows it.
The Reds rookie outfielder is back in the leadoff spot for Saturday’s matinee against the Cubs, playing RF behind starter Andrew Abbott as Cincinnati looks to take the series off their NL Central rivals.
First pitch is set for 2:20 PM ET once again, and here’s how the Reds will line up to start:
ZHANGJIAJIE, CHINA - JUNE 5: A view looking of sharp stalactites hanging from a textured ceiling above a field of multicolored illuminated stalagmites inside the world-famous Huanglong Cave (Yellow Dragon Cave) system in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China, on June 5, 2026. Huanglong Cave is a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site located within the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, known as the "All-Around Champion Karst Cave in the World" because it contains almost every single type of karst formation known to science, including stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, stone curtains, underground rivers, and waterfalls, all packed into one massive system. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Hickory played a pair.
In Game One, Hickory starter Evan Siary allowed five runs in 5.1 IP, including a pair of home runs, walking one and striking out four.
Dewar Tovar was 4 for 4 with a double and a pair of homers. Kaden Carpenter was 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Yolfran Castillo had a hit. Paulino Santana had a pair of walks and a stolen base.
In Game Two, Moises Morales struck out six and walked one in six innings, allowing one run. Michael Trausch threw a scoreless inning, striking out two and walking two.
Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 4 with a double and a homer. Paulino Santana homered and stole a base. Kaden Carpenter tripled and walked. Marco Argudin had a hit. Daniel Flames was 2 for 4 with a double. Noah Franklin had a double and a walk. Sebastian Baquera and Curley Martha each had a hit.
For Hub City, J’Briell Easley walked two and struck out one in two scoreless innings.
Paxton Kling had a hit, two walks and a stolen base. Maxton Martin was 2 for 4 with a double. Eduardo Mejia had a hit and a walk. Evan Morrison had a hit.
Bryan Magdaleno started for Frisco, going one inning, walking three, balking twice, hitting a batter, striking out one and allowing two runs. Wilian Bormie struck out one in a scoreless inning. Brock Porter allowed three runs, including a home run, in three innings, striking out five and walking two. Joey Danielson threw three shutout innings, striking out two.
Sebastian Walcott doubled and homered. Malcolm Moore doubled. Rafe Perich had a hit and a walk. Dylan Dreiling doubled.
DETROIT — Tarik Skubal shed some tears, walking on a field that used to be his home turf as the team that traded him away paid tribute to the two-time Cy Young Award winner with a video montage before the first pitch.
“Luckily enough, I was able to make it to the tunnel before more happened,” Skubal said after allowing one run over six innings to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 on Friday night. “It’s tough. This is the place I’ve known my entire career since 2018.
“It’s special.”
Skubal was welcomed with cheers and a smattering of boos in his return to Detroit, pitching for the first time against the middling franchise that traded him to the two-time defending World Series champions.
When the visitors’ lineup and Skubal were shown on the videoboard and his name was announced before the first pitch, most of the crowd at Comerica Park clapped for him while some jeered.
The Tigers showed highlights from his seven-season career with the team and posted a message at the end: Thank you, Tarik.
Skubal turned his head to the right a few times to watch the video as he walked from the bullpen beyond the left-field wall and toward the Dodgers’ dugout with a white towel draped around his neck, which he used to wipe away sweat and tears.
He extended his right arm, holding his glove, toward his former teammates and used his left hand to pat his chest.
After the game, Skubal returned to the field to catch up with some of his former teammates.
Skubal did not appear to react to, or acknowledge, the fans before or during the game and didn’t get a chance to do so as he exited the game because a pitching change was made after the sixth inning in a 1-all game. He struck out seven over six innings with 83 pitches, the fewest since he threw 74 in the season-opening game in March.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the plan was to limit Skubal’s pitches after he threw 106 and 109 in his previous two starts.
In a crowd that had mixed emotions about Skubal’s return, a couple young fans had fitting outfits sporting white Tigers jerseys with 29 and Skubal on the back — and a blue Dodgers hat.
When the left-hander jogged to the mound to pitch for the first time as a visitor in the Motor City, booing fans were heard first followed by more cheers from fans in the stands.
His first pitch was delayed because he appeared to have trouble with his communication device.
After throwing a 96-mph fastball for a ball, Gleyber Torres hit Skubal’s second pitch to center for a double and the crowd roared in unison.
Skubal settled in, striking out Hao-Yu Lee and All-Star Kevin McGonigle and getting All-Star Dillon Dingler to fly out.
“It’s weird to see him on the other side,” McGonigle said before the game.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the team’s familiarity with Skubal might not be helpful at the plate.
“If anybody knows him, it’s us,” Hinch said. “You can know everything about a pitcher, that doesn’t make it easy to hit.”
That was evident when Skubal retired 12 straight batters, including striking out the side in the third, before Eduardo Valencia led off the fifth with a double. Max Clark followed with a two-out triple in the inning to break a scoreless tie.
The 29-year-old Skubal was drafted by Detroit out of Seattle University in the ninth round of the 2018 draft and spent his entire career with the Tigers until they dealt him earlier this month.
Skubal said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers and to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984. The Tigers, though, thought it was wise to trade him before the deadline to acquire three minor league prospects instead of likely losing him in free agency.
Aug 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Tim Tawa (13) , right , celebrates with his teammates after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks Respond Loudly to Even Series Lars Nootbar had his best game at the plate since his trade tot he Diamondbacks, starting things off with a lead-off home run. Kohl Drake struggled as the lineup turned over. Corbin Carroll also went deep. Gerardo Carrillo, Jonathan Loaisiga, Brandyn Garcia, Dennis Santana and Juan Morillo pushed through five innings with no earned runs and only one hit allowed. The result was the Diamondbacks gaining a game on the Padres in the Wild Card race as the Friars lost and the Diamondbacks held on to win.
Giants’ Vitello, Webb Ejected The San Francisco Giants’ Tony Vitello was unhappy with a fair/foul call and was run for his complaints. Logan Webb didn’t get the memo right away and had to be invited to join his manager in the clubhouse.
MLB Suspends Prospect Over Identity and Age Fraud Plot Major League Baseball has suspended a once-prized Dominican prospect after uncovering an elaborate age-fraud plot that included a fictitious death and gravesite tombstone, sources familiar with the investigation told ESPN.
