Worldwide Sports News

Today’s Reflections

Obviously, since there is a special section for writers’ opinions regarding the state of the Cubs’ bullpen, that is the immediate issue. The return of some players from the IL, and the definitely adequate performance of the current bullpen up until the last week, had given the Cubs, and their followers, a false sense of security. No one expected a physical (and mental) breakdown all at once this week.

Friday’s game was a bizarre example. I did a completely random bit of research — I just glanced at box scores and just started with the beginning of the White Sox series (again, randomly). He didn’t pitch a lot, but when he did, he pitched in either the sixth or seventh, and pitched very well. But while those weren’t extremely high-leverage situations, it seemed like it was something he should have been able to handle. Looking at his season, he had been very erratic through July. Something clicked when the calendar turned to August, where he had not allowed a run in 11 appearances.

David Peterson pitched adequately, allowing two runs over five innings, despite six hits and three walks. He gave the Cubs a point to build on for a win. This seemed to be a good situation to have a door-slammer enter the game. The move certainly didn’t work, obviously. I don’t have a list of relievers who were available, so I’m just guessing. Obviously, Aaron Civale was available, but he gave up two runs himself, so he wasn’t the door-slammer. Chris Rea hadn’t pitched since the 21st. Ryan Rolison, Caleb Thielbar, Daniel Palencia, Ryan Zeferjahn all have had shaky recent performances. Thornton seemed like the right guy, but now he’s joined the “shaky” list.

Anyway. The Cubs did score eight runs Friday. Michael Busch and Pedro Ramirez only had one hit, but they were for two- and three-run home runs, respectively. Seiya Suzuki went 3-for-5 with two RBI doubles, and Alex Bregman added an RBI double. Most of the offense came after being down as much as 9-3.

Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run*

*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

Friday’s Game Stories:

• Sean Holland (Cubs Insider): Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (8/28/26): Reds 10, Cubs 8 – Bullpen Blasted Again. “Trent Thornton became the latest member of the North Siders’ bullpen to implode when he gave up five in the top of the 6th inning.”

• Cole Bair (Bleacher Nation): Brutal Loss, Bullpen Blues, Starting Pitching, Hartshorn Heater, and Other Cubs Bullets. “Even with the benefit of a sleep since yesterday’s miserable loss to the Reds, I’m still very bothered by what unfolded.”

• Sean Sears (Yardbarker): Cubs Bullpen Implosion Continues in Dramatic 10-8 Loss to Cincinnati Reds. “The Chicago Cubs bullpen is struggling, and it’s starting to cost them games.”

Maybe THE Story of Friday’s Game:

• Johnny Flores, Jr. (The Athletic {$}): Umpire’s ABS nightmare: Bill Miller has 8 pitches challenged, each one overturned. “It’s nearly impossible to 0-for-8 in a major-league baseball game, but that’s what happened to an umpire on Friday at Wrigley Field.”

A Few Uplifting Stories About the State of the Cubs Bullpen:

• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Is the Cubs’ bullpen a concern? Even if so, the team sees a path forward. “Perhaps it’s too early to suggest the Cubs are in full-blown crisis mode with their bullpen. But the Cubs are 2-5 in their last seven, and the bullpen has been a prominent concern in many of those losses.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs’ bullpen problems persist as furious rally falls short. “The Cubs’ trio of starting pitchers — Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd — combined for a 0.45 ERA (one run allowed in 20 innings combined), but Chicago still lost two out of three in the desert. That was largely due to the 9.53 ERA posted by the bullpen in Arizona.”
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ key relievers might be regressing to mean at worst time. “After David Peterson at least gave the Cubs a chance to win, Trent Thornton all but removed it, allowing five runs in the sixth inning of a 10-8 loss to the Reds.”
• Tyler Courtney (Last Word On Sports): Can the Cubs Bullpen Hold Up for a Postseason Run? “Early on in the year, things were rough. Eventually, they settled down, but recently it has been streaky.”

Assorted Stories:

• Andrew Carter (Chicago Tribune {$}): One Wrigleyville corner hangs on to its roots and ballhawks as Chicago Cubs mark 150th anniversary. “The Chicago Cubs are celebrating their 150th year, 110 at Wrigley, where the land beyond left field remains old-school.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs Injury Update: Dansby Swanson recovery, What’s next for Shelby Miller, Edward Cabrera. “Dansby Swanson has resumed baseball activity and returns on track to return to the Chicago Cubs before the playoffs.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Hoping More Sinkers, Sliders Will Get Ryan Zeferjahn Right. “The hope was that he’d see a bump in performance by moving to a real organization. Instead, he’s gone the opposite direction as his fastball suddenly became very hittable.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Pete Crow-Armstrong Hasn’t Been an Elite Defender Lately. “This is so mean. You’re gonna hate me for this. Nitpicking nonsense. But you know what? It needs to be said. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been merely good in center field lately.”
• Zachary Draves (ClutchPoints): Edward Cabrera’s expected role once he returns to Cubs. “Edward Cabrera will be sent into the bullpen as he makes his return to the Chicago Cubs right before the playoffs.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs need to line up playoff rotation this way to maximize October chances. “The rotation is coming into focus.”
• Danny Shapiro (Chicago Cubs On SI): Justin Steele on Why the Cubs Have the Best Clubhouse for Collecting. “A hobby shop across the street from the Cubs’ iconic Wrigley Field has given the team quick access to rip cards.”

Food For Thought:

Through the early 1980s Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Texas club circuit, becoming one of the most popular bands in the area. In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. After Double Trouble’s performance, Bowie asked Vaughan to play on his forthcoming album, Let’s Dance, which, with Stevie’s lead guitar on six of the eight songs, became Bowie’s best selling record to date. After an after-hours jam in the artists’ bar Jackson Browne offered the group free recording time at his Downtown Studio in Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, legendary producerJohn Hammond landed Vaughan and Double Trouble a record contract with Epic, and the band recorded its debut album in two days over the Thanksgiving weekend at Downtown Studios.

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

Earlier this week, we asked where you think Kyle Freeland will pitch in 2027. He is in the final year of his contract, and currently on the injured list with a pinched nerve in his neck. While it was unlikely that he would hit 170 innings to vest his 2027 option, his future is even murkier now.

But the majority fans believe that the Denver kid will return to his hometown team in 2027:

The next-highest faction believe he’ll pitch for another MLB team, while 12% believe he’ll retire and only 5% believe he’ll pitch overseas.

Freeland should be eligible to come off the IL next weekend, so he could be able to make four or five more starts with the Rockies.

Do you agree with the results? Let us know in the comments!

To Read: Rockpiles

• Monday: How bad is the 2026 Colorado Rockies defense? | Renee Dechert
• Tuesday: Tomoyuki Sugano discusses his time with the Colorado Rockies | Sam Bradfield
• Wednesday: Is the platoon system still working for the Rockies? | Skyler Timmins
• Thursday: Hunter Goodman is the face of the Rockies franchise | Cory Cohen
• Friday: Eric Young Sr. reflects on his WPBL managing experience | Joelle Milholm
• Saturday: What the Rockies’ outfield defense is actually made of | James Riggenbach

To Read: PuRPs

Full Stream | Jeff Aberle

• Nos. 3-1
• Top 30 Summary
• The state of the Colorado Rockies farm system, August 2026

To Read: News

• Roster News: Rockies recall Ryan Ritter, place Kyle Karros back on IL | Renee Dechert
• Roster News: Rockies place Freeland on 15-day IL and select contract of Blake Adams | Sam Bradfield & Renee Dechert
• Weekly Pebble Report: Andrew Baker Found His Pitch — and a New Home | Eli Whitney

Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Triple-A: Durham Bulls (TBR) 4, Norfolk Tides 0

Starting pitcher Michael Forret started off shaky but finished strong. He walked the bases loaded in the first and escaped with just a sacrifice fly. After a double and another walk in the second, he gave up another sac fly to make the score 2-0. Heston Kjerstad made a throwing error on the same play, which allowed a third run to score. After that, Forret settled in. He pitched three more scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. His final line: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K.

There wasn’t much to speak of, offensively. The Tides had just four hits, and Kjerstad had three. Jeremiah Jackson had the fourth.

Box Score

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 9, Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 8

It took a five-run bottom of the ninth for the Senators to make this a close game. Relief pitcher Brock Moore allowed all five runs and couldn’t finish the inning. That was after starter Patrick Reilly allowed one run in four innings. Reilly gave up a solo home run in the fourth. He had two walks and seven strikeouts.

The Baysox played a lot of longball last night. Victor Figueroa, Wehiwa Aloy, and Thomas Sosa all hit two-run homers. Dom Keegan hit a solo. Aron Estrada did not homer, but he was on base for two of them. Figueroa was on base four times with three hits and a walk. Vance Honeycutt was hitless but did take a walk.

Box Score

High-A: Frederick Keys 8, Asheville Tourists (HOU) 7

Through four innings, the Keys had a 5-0 lead. Boston Bateman started and had an outstanding four innings. He allowed just one hit and one walk, and struck out seven. He threw 77 pitches. Twine Palmer relieved him and gave up all seven Tourists runs over 2.2 innings.

Enddy Azocar continues to rack up the hits. He singled and scored in the first inning, knocked in by Yasmil Bucce. In the fourth inning, he singled again to drive in a run, then scored himself on a single from Braylin Tavera.

Tavera and Bucce both walked in the seventh, and both scored on a Braylon Whitaker triple. That tied the game. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, then walked off with a sac fly. They had loaded the bases on a single by Jordan Sanchez and walks to Bucce and Whitaker. Leandro Arias hit the walk off.

Box Score

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Fredericksburg Nationals 6

The Shorebirds have won two in a row! Collin McKinney, this year’s ninth-round pick, pitched three scoreless innings with one hit and three strikeouts. Relief pitcher Francisco Morao allowed five runs in 1.1 innings.

Stiven Martinez, Jhomnardo Reyes , Jimmy Anderson, and Carlos Sanchez all had two-hit games. Ty Head doubled and Eric Booth, Jr s v reached with a single and a walk. The game was tied 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth when Sanchez tripled in Anderson, who had been HBP.

Box Score

Today’s Schedule

• Norfolk @ Durham, 1:05. Starter: Cade Povich
• Chesapeake @ Harrisburg, 1:00. Starter: Sebastian Gongora
• Frederick vs Asheville, Doubleheader, 2:05. G1 Starter: Christian Rodriguez; G2 Starter: Carson Dorsey
• Delmarva vs. Fredericksburg, 2:05. Starter: KK Clark

• Listen to Sportsound commentary from Pittodrie
• Aberdeen 0-0 Rangers - unmarked Happe can't convert early opportunity
• Dundee v Hibernian (15:00)
• St Mirren v Motherwell (15:00)

Scottish Premiership: Rangers turning up the pressure at Pittodrie

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Sunday’s MLB slate offers plenty of value across the board, with several plus-money underdogs joining a handful of dependable favorites in matchups featuring clear offensive, pitching, and bullpen edges.

Read on for my MLB moneyline predictions and MLB picks for Sunday, Aug. 30.

MLB moneyline picks for August 30

Matchup	Pick
MIA vs WSH	49%
COL vs ATL	68%
BOS vs NYY	50%
SEA vs TOR	49%
KC vs CLE	39%
LAD vs DET	56%
SD vs TB	62%
CWS vs MIN	49%
TEX vs MIL	39%
PIT vs STL	51%
HOU vs NYM	47%
BAL vs ATH	43%
PHI vs LAA	64%
CIN vs CHC	45%

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 8-30.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for August 30

Unless specifically noted in the text, all stats are from the past seven days and can be found on Fangraphs. 

Marlins vs Nationals: Nationals (49%)

Nationals win probability: 49%

I’m grabbing the Nationals at plus-money behind Andrew Alvarez. Washington holds the offensive edge over Miami (98 wRC+, .178 ISO vs. 87 wRC+, .106 ISO). Miami’s bullpen is laboring with a 4.72 SIERA and a weak 5.9% K-BB%, giving the Nats the late-game hammer at home.

Rockies vs Braves: Braves (68%)

Braves win probability: 68%

Atlanta owns the clear offensive advantage with Tyler Mahle hosting Mason Adams. The Braves' bats are producing (112 wRC+, .336 wOBA) compared to Colorado's miserable road splits. While Atlanta's bullpen has command issues, Colorado's pitching staff lacks the straight heat to exploit them over nine innings.

Red Sox vs Yankees: Yankees (50%)

Yankees win probability: 50%

I like the Yankees at this pick'em price behind Will Warren. New York’s power profile (114 wRC+, .181 ISO) across the last seven days significantly outpaces Boston’s quiet bats (91 wRC+, .133 ISO). Ranger Suárez faces a stiff road test, and New York's bullpen (4.14 SIERA, 11.4% K-BB%) provides enough late-inning support to edge this rivalry. 

Mariners vs Blue Jays: Blue Jays (49%)

Blue Jays win probability: 49%

I'm backing Toronto as a home underdog behind Max Scherzer. The Blue Jays' offense is rolling with a 113 wRC+ and .331 wOBA, while Seattle continues to strike out in bunches (94 wRC+, 27.1% K%). Even against Logan Gilbert, Toronto’s superior contact and run creation make them live at a solid price. 

Royals vs Guardians: Royals (39%)

Royals win probability: 39%

 At this lopsided price, I have to take Kansas City behind Seth Lugo. The Royals enter as a top-five offense over the last week (123 wRC+, .351 wOBA, .168 ISO). Cleveland’s bullpen is lockdown (2.20 SIERA), but their lineup has zero pop (.085 ISO), making KC’s price far too generous.

Dodgers vs Tigers: Dodgers (56%)

Dodgers win probability: 56%

Tyler Glasnow gets an ideal matchup against a Detroit offense in a deep freeze (38 wRC+, .226 wOBA, 25.4% K%). Framber Valdez can keep Detroit afloat early, but the Dodgers hold a massive late-inning pitching edge, anchored by a bullpen dealing with a 3.34 SIERA and 18.1% K-BB% in their last two weeks. 

Padres vs Rays: Rays (62%)

Rays win probability: 62%

Drew Rasmussen and the Rays hold the upper hand against a slumping Padres lineup (83 wRC+, .285 wOBA). Over the last 14 days, Tampa Bay pairs disciplined contact with an airtight bullpen boasting an MLB-best 0.77 WHIP and 3.07 SIERA. Robbie Ray’s shaky command tilts the late-inning leverage squarely toward the Rays.

White Sox vs Twins: White Sox (49%)

White Sox win probability: 49%

I’m taking Chicago at plus-money. The Pale Hose offense is surging at the top of the league over the past week (141 wRC+, .372 wOBA, 13.3% BB%). Zebby Matthews faces a tough assignment, especially with Minnesota’s bullpen in shambles (4.56 SIERA, 2.16 WHIP, 10.26 ERA). There is value on the road dog today. 

Rangers vs Brewers: Rangers (39%)

Rangers win probability: 39%

Kumar Rocker offers Texas substantial upside at a heavy-underdog price. The Rangers' bats match Milwaukee stride-for-stride in current form (122 wRC+, .212 ISO vs. 124 wRC+, .120 ISO). With both bullpens performing well, getting this price for an offense generating elite extra-base power is a beautiful thing. 

Pirates vs Cardinals: Cardinals (51%)

Cardinals win probability: 51%

Matthew Liberatore catches the coldest lineup in baseball. Pittsburgh is generating virtually nothing at the plate (34 wRC+, .225 wOBA, 30.3% K%). Even with Braxton Ashcraft throwing well, the Pirates cannot score enough to justify backing them at a near pick'em price, leaving the Cards with the clear edge at home.

Astros vs Mets: Astros (47%)

Astros win probability: 47%

Houston is mispriced as an underdog behind Ethan Pecko. While their surface bullpen ERA looks ugly, their underlying 2.94 SIERA and 22.8% K-BB% scream positive regression. Facing a Mets lineup slumping at 86 wRC+, Houston possesses the late-game pitching advantage to steal this on the road.

Orioles vs Athletics: Athletics (43%)

Athletics win probability: 43%

The Athletics offer tremendous home-dog value behind Jeffrey Springs. The A's lineup has quietly outperformed Baltimore over the past week (115 wRC+, .348 wOBA vs. 97 wRC+, .305 wOBA). Facing Chris Bassitt, the A's have more than enough offensive firepower to exploit Baltimore's staff and cash a strong plus-money play. 

Phillies vs Angels: Phillies (64%)

Phillies win probability: 46%

Zack Wheeler provides an overwhelming starting pitching advantage against Yusei Kikuchi and a weak Angels lineup (81 wRC+, .284 wOBA). Philadelphia pairs starting reliability with a lockdown bullpen (3.16 SIERA, 19.4% K-BB%, 0.85 WHIP). The Phillies control this matchup from the first pitch through to the final out. 

Reds vs Cubs: Reds (45%)

Reds win probability: 45%

In a battle of this past week's top-three offenses (Cubs 135 wRC+, Reds 129 wRC+), Chase Burns provides the higher strikeout ceiling against Shota Imanaga. Chicago's bullpen has been prone to the long ball (2.33 HR/9, 4.14 SIERA), giving Cincinnati’s powerful lineup (.212 ISO) tremendous value to cash at plus-money.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

This is being written before the Phillies game even starts on Saturday night, which means that someone is going to come up with some crazy end game heroics. It’s what happened last night, so let’s try and see if it happens again.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Missed this yesterday, but Larry Christenson passed away on Friday at the age of 72. He was one to be remembered for those that watched the 1980 World Series champions.
• Edmundo Sosa hit another home run with two outs in the ninth inning for the Phillies ($). How do they keep getting away with this?
• Everywhere he goes, Alex McFarlane still has a little bit of the U.S. Virgin Islands with him ($).

MLB news:

• I’ve heard of players faking their age to get signed early, but coming up with fake death certificates? That’s a whole new level of strange.
• What did Bruce Willis say in “The Jackal”? Something about so and so can’t keep his women safe? Well, it looks like the Braves can’t keep their pitchers safe.
• Remember when a lot of people got worked up over the Mets making a deal to acquire Luis Robert, Jr. this offseason? Yeah, that really hasn’t turned out too well for them.

Hello, friends.

The Orioles have managed to creep closer to a wild card spot yet again. Thanks to losses by the Guardians and Rangers yesterday and the O’s holding on to take down the Athletics, the team is now just a game back of the third wild card, with only Cleveland standing between the Orioles and a postseason position. The head-to-head tiebreaker will belong to the Guardians unless the Orioles sweep them next week. There are 26 games left to play this season.

Check out Andrea’s recap of the Saturday night game for more of the lovely totals. This link will probably appear after this article has posted due to the game ending late on the east coast.

Separate from the outcome of last night’s game, I’m feeling bad about Samuel Basallo after watching what he did in the game. In the middle of going hitless, he reacted to one of his at-bats by doing this in the dugout afterwards:

It’s rough to watch a guy showing that much negative emotion in the dugout. For all that there have been struggles from the team this year, we haven’t seen a ton of this. Gunnar Henderson has had some after at-bat reactions, of course, but nothing like this slamming and punching.

Seeing this is something that makes me down on manager Craig Albernaz more than any tactical choices he makes. It’s the skipper’s job to keep everybody on an even keel as much as possible so that they aren’t spiraling into negativity in a way that hurts their performance. The staff should be on top of how Basallo is feeling well enough that somebody can cut things off before it gets to that point, and once he started in on this, I think somebody should have intervened rather than view it as useful blowing off steam.

More concerning about something that might carry over into today is that Basallo ended up inadvertently blocking a pitch with his bare hand in last night’s game. Trainers checked him out and he stayed in the game afterwards, but after grounding out in the following inning, Basallo was removed in favor of Yohel Pozo. On MASN, Ben McDonald speculated that it could have been a benching after Basallo didn’t run out the ground ball. I’m not in a position to know as I write these words. I hope there’s not a broken finger.

Basallo would probably not be catching a day game after a night game anyway, so we might be waiting until Monday to get a clear idea of what’s really going on.

This three-game set in Sacramento is set to conclude starting at 4:05 Eastern today. Chris Bassitt is scheduled to pitch for the Orioles. As of this writing, the Athletics do not have a starting pitcher listed.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Six players the Orioles could call up when rosters expand (The Baltimore Sun)
Yesterday’s Bird Droppings featured a different outlet considering the list of possible callups. The Sun takes a turn today.

Encarnacion-Strand goes from under-the-radar acquisition to unsung hero (School of Roch)
CES has already driven in more runs than more than one player who’s been around a lot longer than he has this season.

Possible Arizona Fall League prospects (Orioles On The Verge)
This week, MLB announced that Orioles prospects will be on the Peoria Javelinas alongside of prospects with the Cardinals, Padres, Mariners, and Reds. The Arizona Fall League begins on October 3. Rosters will be announced later; On The Verge guesses who the O’s might send.

Fully healthy in 2026, Caden Hunter’s velo ticks up and the strikeouts are coming (Steve Melewski)
On pretty much nobody’s radar going into the season, Hunter has raced through three levels this season and he’s gotten some decent results so far in Double-A too.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 2013, the Orioles traded Xavier Avery for Mike Morse, who had -1.0 bWAR in 76 games with the Mariners before this trade. He put another -0.5 on the board in just 12 games with the O’s.

One lone former Oriole was born on this day. Happy 52nd birthday to 2001 reliever Kris Foster.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: author Mary Shelley (1797), nuclear physicist Ernest Rutherford (1871), baseball Hall of Famers Kiki Cuyler (1898) and Ted Williams (1918), Maryland-born comedian Lewis Black (1948), and tennis player Andy Roddick (1982).

On this day in history…

In 1535, the pope of the time, Paul III, excommunicated England’s king Henry VIII, though since this was held in suspension, Henry had to be re-excommunicated several years later.

In 1836, the city of Houston was founded.

In 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African American Justice on the Supreme Court after being confirmed by the Senate. The vote was 69-11. Many Southern senators voted against him; many others abstained.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on August 30. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!

The Detroit Tigers evened up their three-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon with a narrow 2-1 walk-off victory. Keider Montero threw 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball and the bullpen did its job, while Kevin McGonigle drove in Javier Báez in the ninth to seal the deal.

Thanks to that triumph, the Olde English D has a chance to take the series from one of the best teams in the majors on Sunday with left-hander Framber Valdez on the mound. The 32-year-old is coming off a very borderline quality start last time out but has still put up an ugly 5.71 ERA and 5.74 FIP over his last three outings since throwing a pair of seven-inning gems to open August.

Against the Tampa Bay Rays in his last appearance, Valdez threw six frames of four-run ball (three earned) on eight hits (one home run) and two walks with nary a strikeout to speak of to take the L in a 4-1 final at Comerica Park.

For the Dodgers, right-hander Tyler Glasnow will toe the rubber after some discussion that Shohei Ohtani might get the start. According to reports, the Japanese phenom came out of yesterday’s bullpen feeling less than 100%, and it has yet to be determined if the four-time MVP will even pitch again this season.

As for Glasnow, the 33-year-old hurler will be making his ninth start of the 2026 campaign and second since returning from the injured list after missing nearly four months due to lower back spasms. He tossed five innings of three-run ball in his last outing against the Braves in Atlanta, allowing six hits while walking nobody and striking out seven for a no-decision in an eventual 4-3 loss.

Here is a look at the pitching matchup on paper for the series finale on Sunday afternoon.

Detroit Tigers (63-72) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (81-55)

Time (ET): 1:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:True Blue LA
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 136: LHP Framber Valdez (8-9, 4.35 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 3.02 ERA)

VALDEZ

GLASNOW

For a player who has been so improbable, the Dodgers must now do the impossible.

When it comes to pitching, they must shut Shohei Ohtani down.

Despite suffering a knee ailment and biceps soreness this season, Ohtani is slowly trying to take the mound for the first time in more than two months.

Stop. Just stop.

The Dodgers have no business sticking Ohtani back on the mound. He belongs out there no more than Kiké Hernandez does.

There’s no two ways about it — the Dodgers should not plan on jamming Ohtani back into the starting rotation.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani still 'not 100%' and will not pitch Sunday against the Tigers

The Dodgers should thank him for his passion, applaud him for his 1.79 ERA in his first 14 starts, promise to return his resin bag next season, and ask him to go to work on that bat.

As much as the fans want to see all Ohtani, all of the time, the next couple of months are not about celebrating a novelty, they’re about winning a championship, and Ohtani can best get that done by avoiding another injury to himself on the mound and directing all of his efforts at the plate.

Recently, his hitting needs all the help it can get. After Saturday’s loss in Detroit, it had been a startling nine games since Ohtani homered or collected an RBI. During that span he had more than twice as many strikeouts as hits (13-5).

In this final month he needs to concentrate on getting his swing right and not worry about bullpens or openers or piggy-backs or any of the numerous machinations involved in getting him back on the mound.

Bottom line, the Dodgers need him more at the top of the order than in the middle of the diamond, and for now, he shouldn’t be in two places at once.

Bottom, bottom line, there is a sense that the Dodgers agree.

Ohtani threw about 20 pitches in a bullpen session Friday and wasn’t 100%, and that set off alarm bells with the Dodgers’ bosses.

While guessing that Ohtani’s balky left knee would not allow him to be 100% by October, manager Dave Roberts openly wondered Saturday whether a pitching comeback is worth the effort.

“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 told reporters in Detroit. “So, if throwing potentially cuts into that, that’s not worth the squeeze. So that’s something for me. Very, very bullish on making sure we don’t compromise the hitting.”

Did you hear that? Not worth the squeeze? Exactly.

Are you listening, Ohtani? He’s always been the ultimate team player, so if the Dodgers asked his permission to shut him down, he would agree, right? Right?

Keeping Ohtani off the mound for the rest of the season is a radical view, certainly — c’mon, you’re paying the dude $700 million to hit and pitch! — but it’s a view backed by common sense.

Point One: The Dodgers won a World Series in 2024 with Ohtani strictly hitting, so it can be done.

Point Two: Last postseason, even with his three-homer, 10-strikeout gem in the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Ohtani had a playoff ERA of 4.43.

Playing in the postseason is hard. Pitching and hitting in the postseason is nearly impossible. That magical Brewers clincher was his only shining moment.

Point Three: They recently acquired Tarik Skubal specifically to reduce the need for Ohtani, and they now have a nearly unbeatable rotation without Ohtani.

With Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow having returned strong from injuries, they have four starters who easily can dominate a series.

Check out the current seven-game span of games started by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Skubal, Snell and Tyler Glasnow.

They gave up as many as three runs only twice. They pitched less than six innings only once. Their ERA was 2.38.

Read more:Tarik Skubal shines in emotional return to Detroit as Dodgers end three-game slide

Point Four: The struggling Dodgers offense desperately needs Ohtani to get right at the top. Who is going to get the big hit if he doesn’t? Entering the last month, the candidates are few.

Not a slowing Mookie Betts. Not psyched-out Kyle Tucker. Not aging Teoscar Hernández. Maybe Freddie Freeman, but he hasn’t hit a home run since July 4. And maybe Max Muncy, if they pitch to him.

Will Smith will be returning this week after a prolonged absence, and that will help, but not enough.

If anything happens to sideline Ohtani the hitter, the Dodgers are sunk, period.

And if he pitches, lots could happen to him.

The knee. The elbow. Whatever it was that has kept him off the mound since July 3. So much can go wrong if he’s pitching, and any pitching injury could have the double whammy of sidelining him as a hitter.

“I think 100% for me as far as an offensive player, that’s very important,” Roberts said. “As a pitcher, for me, given the strength of our staff, our team, I don’t think that’s as important. I think it’s important for us not to compromise his health in any capacity. But for me, it’s just his presence in the batter’s box is hugely important to him.”

Yes, Ohtani wants to pitch. Yes, the Dodgers promised him he could pitch. But that was before the injuries and the acquisitions and the slump.

Everything is different now. The landscape has changed.

The Dodgers no longer need the arm so badly that they can risk the bat.

Barely 20 bullpen pitches at the end of August? He’s clearly not going to be 100% by October, so shut him down and let him swing.

Shohei Ohtani is 32 and finishing his ninth season. He’s not a kid anymore.

He’s not infallible anymore.

Having him pitch and hit for a second consecutive October indeed would be a great story.

But having him use his bat to lead the Dodgers to a three-peat would be a better one.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.