LAS VEGAS — Tom Barton stands at the southwest corner of Tropicana and the Strip. It’s high noon, two weeks ago, but he peers back a couple of decades, to the wee hours of a particular day.

Pedestrians surrounded this intersection, one of the busiest on the planet, and gawked. Outside their rigs, shifted into park, drivers and passengers stood and cheered the unfolding spectacle.

In the northbound lane, a muscle car and three low-slung ”Fast & Furious” types, all neon lights and loud mufflers, spun their wheels, smoke billowing high. At the green light, they blistered away in a highly illegal but thrilling drag race.

Barton, 45, recalls no sirens or collateral incidents.

“Not to condone it, but it was pretty cool to see,” he said. “Everyone knew, ‘OK, this is what these guys are doing.’ Every car stopped, to let them do it. And to watch.”

The Four Corners, with a world-intersection record 12,343 hotel rooms, served as the sports-betting fulcrum that would blossom into Barton’s profession.

He’d stay at MGM Grand, on the northeast corner. He’d dispatch visiting friends to the sportsbooks at New York-New York (northwest corner), Excalibur (southwest) and the Trop (southeast).

They’d collect football spreads, totals and prices. They’d reconvene at Coyote Ugly Saloon, inside New York-New York, where Barton, holding MGM’s numbers, bought the first few rounds.

He’d discern optimal positions. He’d dispatch his runners back out, with money and instructions, to get the best of it. It led to his calling, as a professional bettor and handicapping-service purveyor.

“I didn’t know that I knew. I was searching, but I wasn’t searching because I was a professional. I was searching because it just didn’t make sense to me why I would pay for a bad bet?

“People ask, ‘How long have you been in this profession?’ I say, ’12 years.’ But I’ve kinda been doing it forever.”

CHOOSING THE CHOW

Thomas Barton Sr. never bet a buck on an individual game. He’d sip a rare beer. He served his country. He was quiet and content, revered by many. He cherished his son and daughter.

The machinist diligently brought the weekly NFL office pool sheets home in Levittown, New York.

Five bucks, games against the spread. Junior, maybe 7, helped him pick. They’d have “pig-out nights,” feasting on pasta and ice cream as they selected. Senior won the first-place loot four or five times a season.

Tom Jr. says “the house,” or mom, always got the winnings. That, along with spare change the entire family would slip into a large Coke bottle, helped his parents take Tom and sister Kim to Disney World.

“The Clark Griswold way,” Barton said, “always driving.”

Junior studied broadcasting (one of his degrees is from Harvard), and he’d work at ABC and ESPN radio studios in New York. When he unwittingly aligned with a nefarious prognostication operation in Cary, North Carolina, he quit.

At his nadir, down to miniscule change at a market, he had to choose between milk for him and his girlfriend, or Puppy Chow for the cute little guy they’d rescued from the road.

Barton chose the Chow.

With bottomless support from then-girlfriend Abby Sanvi — with roots in Champaign and Springfield, and who would become his wife — he’d make his living betting sports, eventually selling choice selections.

(At their $60,000 wedding, whose entire bill he paid, Barton, into a mobile phone, gave clients picks while ascending the church stairs.)

He is nationally syndicated on the Sports Garten radio network, he produces podcasts and YouTube videos, and he and partner Tim Unglesbee have hosted a 10-to-midnight weekend radio show on Vegas’s Fox Sports outlet for 12 years.

Heatwave Sports is a bonanza of angles, information and tips. They’re just chatting, being themselves. They’re accountable. It amazes Unglesbee that his partner requires no computer or notepads.

During Barton’s visit, they do a show before a Cabo Wabo Cantina audience, overlooking the Strip.

“A true professional in all aspects of his life,” Unglesbee said of Barton. “A proven winning handicapper, his deep sports IQ is unparalleled and he’s a wonderful family man. It’s a pleasure to share airtime with him every weekend.”

PERCENTAGES

Barton has $10,000 in his right pocket, three bound packs of bills, but he seeks to break no casino banks.

He stays in his shoes. His list of contacts is deep, thirst for information insatiable. He possesses a near-photographic recall of players, injuries, depth charts, tendencies and figures.

His selection routine is polished. Clients have begged for more, so he devised a tiered system. He always bets the picks he doles out to patrons.

Certain meetings, web-site maintenance and social-media corrosiveness are stressful, as are his Yankees and decisions by manager Aaron Boone. He said, “They drive me crazy.”

However, pinpointing value sports plays, risking $2,000 a game and promoting them to clients, via a reasonable monthly rate, has never been nerve-racking.

“Because,” Barton says, “I know it’ll always work out to percentages.”

We venture into a casino in Barton’s first Vegas trip in three years. For someone who, for many years, visited for a week every month — some locals considered him one –that’s a long hiatus.

Before the pandemic shuttered the world, Barton had noted standards here slipping. When running the Four Corners, he always greeted a Friday and Saturday night bedecked in a suit and tie.

Shorts and general shabbiness, however, have become de rigueur in this town.

He had just finished a sentence about poor Vegas service when a waitress plops a plastic tray next to him. Barton hands a $25 burger to me, places his $25 burger in front of him. He should tip himself, but he’s good-natured and barely shrugs.

Three shirtless clowns and a (clothed) gal order yard-tall tourist drinks at the bar and sip for 20 minutes. This is no poolside lounge, but two managers say nothing.

In two days, Barton’s play is Toledo, which romps. In the NFL, he wins with Houston, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Baltimore. He dallies with player props.

(He doesn’t espouse to be perfect. The following week, he misses on a prop involving receptions by Denver tailback Javonte Williams, which is Heatwave fodder.)

Including food, beverage and roulette expenses, he will return to New York that Monday afternoon with more than twice as much cash as he brought here.

REACHING FOR STARS

When he started picking those NFL games with his pop, Barton became infatuated with a certain renegade quarterback, a sweet tailback, a stifling defense and a gap-toothed Fridge.

The lifelong Bears fan detests Green Bay, especially its current diva quarterback. However, Barton always bets on Aaron Rodgers against Chicago. He did so last Sunday night.

Odds and ridiculous statistics are too stacked in Rodgers’ favor. Barton always wagers on Rodgers at home in December, too.

Making money is what matters, divorcing the head from the heart. It’s about padding his bankroll and those of his clients.

About providing for his wife, children Tom III and Gracie, in Sandy Beach, near the tip of Long Island. About driving them to Disney World, ? la Clark Griswold, maybe four times a year, and Key West.

About a dad whose life ended prematurely and unfairly.

“He was simply everything to me, and he was ripped away at a very young age,” Junior says of Senior. “He was a much better man than I’ll ever be. I always reached for the stars. He was very grounded, but he always told me to go for it.”

“We didn’t have much, but he instilled in me that vacations create memories. I don’t have fancy cars, a nice wardrobe or flashy watches. But, damn, do we vacation a lot. His impact is still so important.”

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There are many questions surrounding the Bulls with training camp starting this week.

Then again, most NBA teams without a Steph Curry and four championship rings are dealing with that kind of scrutiny this time of year.

Health, rookies finding their way, veterans adding to the arsenal of their game, new faces and the chemistry they bring . . . go down the list.

What’s different for the Bulls, however, is there’s really only one key that matters over the next few weeks and months, followed by a bunch of intriguing subplots.

Lonzo Ball’s latest knee surgery will have all ears perked up with each re-evaluation, and first-round pick Dalen Terry’s growth will be watched. But make no mistake where the success of this team starts and finishes. Hint: Hope you enjoyed your summer break, Patrick Williams.

Is it unfair to put this kind of pressure on a player who just became old enough to legally drink last month? Maybe. But that’s the business Williams signed up for after the Bulls made him the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Look no further than in Toronto, where Scottie Barnes has become the face of the franchise. Barnes was selected No. 4 by the Raptors a year after Williams.

By Year 2, Jaren Jackson Jr. was averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for the Grizzlies.

Yes, a No. 4 pick back in 2018.

The Bulls’ front office made Williams its first significant foundation piece after the old regime was ousted, and now it needs to see some return.

The 6-7 Williams not only needs to start playing like a difference-maker, but he is the difference between the Bulls toiling in mediocrity or being one of those Eastern Conference juggernauts hosting a first-round playoff series.

It’s a weight that he seemed very aware of carrying when he last spoke to the media.

“Consistency,” Williams said during his exit interview when asked what he needed to work on heading into his third season. “Just having my presence felt on the game consistently I think could be a next step.”

He thinks?

No, that has to be the next step. Williams not only has to start showing he can be a consistent defensive stopper but also a guy who can put up 20 points and grab eight rebounds on the same night he demoralizes an opposing wing.

If he can’t, sure, the Bulls are still a playoff team, but one that better pack lightly in that first round.

The other subplots:

1. Ball out?

The organization that promised transparency a few years ago is back to cloak-and-dagger, especially when it has involved Ball’s knee. The latest news to come out this week was that Ball would be sidelined for the next four to six weeks after surgery Wednesday to remove debris. That means not only will he miss all of camp, but also the start of the regular season.

2. The Vooch

Center Nikola Vucevic’s strength in this offense is to be able to play pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. That means being able to facilitate or knock down the three. He was fine with the first, but his 31.4% shooting from three-point range was a career worst since he started taking the shot regularly. The Bulls hope that was an aberration rather than a trend.

3. Pressure cooker

It has been easy for LaVine to handle success and failure making $19 million a year, but now he’s a max player who will earn $49 million in the final season of his five-year, $215 million venture. The spotlight has never been warmer.

4. Old man Dragic

At 36, Goran Dragic is the oldest player on the roster. With Ball sidelined early on, Dragic could go from under-the-radar offseason addition to essential starter very quickly.

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The Bears’ upset of the 49ers in Week 1 caused some to think of this season in terms of wins and losses instead of what truly matters.

No, the purpose of this season is to identify who will be part of the Bears’ next good team — and that won’t be this year. It matters most on offense, where quarterback Justin Fields is being monitored with every pass.

However, Fields isn’t the only young offensive player with something to prove. Here’s a look at the talents — all 24 or under — whom the Bears need to develop over the rest of the season. The franchise’s future is at stake.

Justin Fields

After his first preseason game as a rookie last year, Fields, the former Ohio State standout, pushed back against the notion that he had to adjust to NFL speed. Compared to Bears practices, he said, a game was nothing different.

“It was actually kind of slow to me,” he said.

It hasn’t looked that way. Since the start of last season, 34 quarterbacks have thrown at least 200 passes. Among them, Fields is No. 32 in passer rating, No. 33 in completion percentage and No. 31 in passing yards and attempts. He has been sacked on 12.09% of his dropbacks, the highest rate in the NFL.

The good news: Field is young. Injuries, illness and coaching malpractice by Matt Nagy limited Fields to 10 starts last season. He has 12 under his belt now– the same number Mitch Trubisky did in his first season in 2017.

The bad news: Time is running out. There’s time for Fields to prove himself, but probably not more than another 15 games. At the end of the year, the Bears will have to decide whether to use their first-round draft pick — and it figures to be a high one if they struggle as expected — on a quarterback.

Fields’ athleticism allows him to make jaw-dropping plays. Now he needs to make the basic ones. His passes need to come out of his hand on time and with conviction.

Despite throwing just 11 times against the Packers last Sunday, Fields said he still thinks the Bears believe in him. But when he detailed what goes into a successful play, it was clear he needs help from the Bears’ other young offensive players.

“The passing game, you’re going to need a few things for everything to go right,” he said. “First, you’re going to need protection, and then, second, you’re going to need, from me, is timing, footwork, making sure I’m on schedule. Accurate and making sure I’m getting the ball out of my hand.”

Cole Kmet

For a tight end expected to be the Bears’ second-most reliable receiver, it’s hard to decide which is most damning: Kmet having two targets this season, him dropping one of them, or him having as many receiving yards as a lump of coal.

Kmet took blame for the drop against the Packers — “I just let the ball get into my body a little bit there,” he explained — but said the offense needs to be looked at in context.

“That first game [against the 49ers] was still a monsoon,” he said. “So [I’m] remaining optimistic with this all. And we’re remaining optimistic with the pass-game stuff. We’re going to get this figured out.”

The narrative that Kmet’s production has been hampered because he needs to help the Bears’ young tackles is false. When he has been lined up on the line of scrimmage, he has only had to pass-block twice.

Still, he’s not used to being this irrelevant in the passing game. His 935 snaps last year were third-most among NFL tight ends. His 93 targets were tied for eighth-most, and his 60 catches were tied for 13th.

His role is different now than it was under Nagy. Last season, he was in-line 53% of the time and in the slot 34% of the time. This season, he has been in-line 67% of the time and in the slot 27% of the time. He considers himself a classic “Y,” or in-line, tight end. He shouldn’t need to be in the slot to be productive.

“We need to start making plays downfield,” Kmet said, “and we’re looking forward to doing that.”

Khalil Herbert

Only three NFL running backs averaged more yards per carry than Herbert through two weeks: the Lions’ D’Andre Swift, the Packers’ Aaron Jones and the Chiefs’ Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Despite averaging 6.4 yards per carry, Herbert has run only 11 times. The second-year player helped to salt away the Bears’ opener but was actually used less in Week 2, when he played 20% of the snaps, than in Week 1 (29%).

David Montgomery is the Bears’ workhorse running back, averaging 4.6 yards per carry on 32 rushes. His contract is up at the end of the season, though. Next year, Herbert likely will have the No. 1 role.

“We feed off each other,” Herbert said. “Whoever is the hot hand, the other person gets that person going.”

They’ll both play prominent roles this season. For an illustration, look no further than the team that beat the Bears on Sunday. The Packers — with whom Luke Getsy spent his entire NFL coaching career before becoming the Bears’ offensive coordinator — split carries between Jones and AJ Dillon. Jones played 40 snaps and Dillon 39 against the Bears. On the season, Dillon, the nominal backup, has touched the ball 34 times to Jones’ 26.

After the game, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that “tonight was really about 28 and 33 getting the football,” referring to Jones and Dillon. Coach Matt LaFleur called the two “1A and 1A.”

The Bears don’t have such an even split — but they could.

“David’s been doing a hell of a job,” Herbert said. “So I try to come in and make sure there’s no dropoff.”

Braxton Jones

Jones hasn’t been overmatched at left tackle in his first two NFL games.

On 41 pass plays, he has allowed two sacks and five pressures and has yet to commit a penalty. Pro Football Focus ranks him No. 51 among tackles — in theory, 64 are starting-caliber — but compares him favorably to higher-drafted rookie tackles. Among the 2022 draft class, only first-round picks Tyler Smith (No. 27) and Charles Cross (50) and third-rounder Nicholas Petit-Frere (40) rank higher than Jones.

His two sacks allowed came in the opener, by 49ers All-Pro Nick Bosa and veteran Samson Ebukaum.

“I have a lot to clean up,” Jones said. “But I think I’m out there fighting for the right things [against] really cemented edge rushers. That’s the biggest thing: It’s possible.”

At the start of training camp, the Bears had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. That might still prove to be the case, but early returns are encouraging. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Fields has, on average, 3.26 seconds to throw — the most time in the NFL and a product of his scrambling. However, he has been sacked on 15.2% of his dropbacks, worst in the league. PFF considers the Bears middle of the pack in pass blocking (tied for 16th) and sixth-best in run blocking.

Darnell Mooney

In the days after the Bears beat the 49ers, Mooney said he wasn’t upset about his share of the targets. He claimed he’d be happy if he didn’t catch a single pass and the Bears won.

The Bears didn’t keep winning. And Mooney caught a pass — but just one.

The player the Bears built up as their clear-cut No. 1 receiver has just two catches this year. The average depth of those routes: negative yards. Both of Mooney’s catches have come on screens behind the line of scrimmage. They’ve totaled four yards.

He has only five targets this season. Two were deep balls and one was from 10-19 yards.

He had two targets Sunday, despite playing 90% of the Bears’ snaps. The incomplete pass came on a play-action deep shot. Fields said Mooney needed to run a more precise post route.

The two worked on the same route after practice Wednesday.

“Worry about what I can worry about,” Mooney said. “Then the opportunities are going to come. [The Bears] believe in me, the players believe in me, my team believes in me.

“There is eventually going to be a time that I do get a ball or whatnot, when I take it to the crib. Then everyone is going to go, ‘Oh, there he goes.’ “

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KEY MATCHUP

The Bears figure to try and get Darnell Mooney going after the team’s No. 1 wide receiver had just two catches for four yards in the first two games.

“We need to highlight our skill. We know that,” coach Matt Eberflus said.

Mooney should have an opportunity for a breakout game against a Texans secondary that already has allowed two 100-yard receivers — the Colts’ Michael Pittman (nine receptions, 121 yards, one touchdown) and the Broncos’ Courtland Sutton (7-122).

The 6-4 Pittman and 6-4 Sutton both have size that the 5-11 Mooney does not, so keep an eye on 6-5 Equanimeous St. Brown, who has three catches for 57 yards in the first two games.

The Texans counter with veteran Steven Nelson and rookie Derek Stingley, Jr. on the outside and Desmond King in the slot. Stingley, the grandson of former Marshall and Purdue star Darryl Stingley, was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft. He was solid against the Colts, but struggled against Sutton. He had two pass break-ups, but also two pass interference penalties last week.

TRENDING

The Bears’ 28 pass attempts are the fewest through two games in the NFL since 1978 (the Packers, 24). Justin Fields threw 17 passes against the 49ers in inclement conditions in Week 1 and just 11 passes against the Packers.

Opponents so far have been eager to test the Texans’ pass defense. The Colts’ Matt Ryan completed 32-of-50 passes for 352 yards against the Texans in Week 1. Russell Wilson competed 14-of-34 passes for 219 yards last week.

But efficiency has been harder to come by. The Texans have allowed the seventh most passing yards (541) in the NFL through two games, but are sixth in passer rating defense (76.7).

Quarterbacks are completing 56.8% of their passes against the Texans, the fourth-lowest percentage in the league. The Bears are completing 53.6% of their passes this season, the second-lowest in the league.

PLAYER TO WATCH

In two games in Luke Getsy’s offense, Bears running back David Montgomery has had the lowest rushing average of his career (17 carries, 26 yards, 1.5 vs. the 49ers) and the third-best rushing average of his career (15-122, 8.1 vs. the Packers).

Most of his yardage against the Packers (8-89) came after the Bears fell behind 24-7 at halftime, when the Packers were expecting the Bears to pass. The Texans likely be loading up the box to stop the Bears’ running game after the huge run/pass disparity against the Packers, which might make this game a better gauge of where Montgomery is.

X-FACTOR

The Bears are coming off a loss for the first time under Matt Eberflus, with subpar performances on offense and defense. Now they face a Texans team ranked 29th or lower in most power rankings. This is a very playable situation to show improvements in every facet.

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Bolingbrook’s young offense produced some breathtaking moments on Friday in Frankfort. The Raiders are built to score points.

But No. 3 Lincoln-Way East is built to win. Rob Zvonar’s teams always seem to find a way to victory. He’s a defense-oriented coach but knew it would take a big point total to beat the Raiders.

The Griffins’ offense delivered, pounding out 201 rushing yards to beat No. 11 Bolingbrook 42-32.

Running back James Kwiecinski was the workhorse with 33 carries for 179 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s a dog,” Lincoln-Way East offensive lineman Josh Janowski said. “There aren’t always holes but he makes something happen every time. He just fights.”

Kwiecinski broke free for two 35-yard runs early in the game but from then on it was a slow, grinding charge.

“We talked about taking time off the clock,” Kwiecinski said. “But we wanted to score and put them down too.”

The Raiders (3-2, 1-1 Southwest Suburban Blue) never led. The Griffins (5-0, 1-0) were up 35-19 at halftime but freshman quarterback Jonas Williams led Bolingbrook to two touchdowns in the third quarter to pull within 35-32.

“That’s an unbelievable offensive football team,” Zvonar said. “The passing game is incredible with a freshman phenom at quarterback surrounded by all those skills.”

Williams was 22-for-45 for 384 yards. He threw five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Lincoln-Way East senior Jake Scianna had both interceptions. The second came in the fourth quarter and snuffed out Bolingbrook’s momentum.

“We made a few plays on defense here and there but this game was won by offense,” Zvonar said. “I’m awful proud of that group. They stayed persistent.”

Griffins quarterback Braden Tischer was 7-for-14 passing for 152 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

“We grew a lot tonight and not all from good things,” Zvonar said. “From a lot of adversity. This will make us a better team down the road.”

Bolingbrook’s two star receivers, I’Marion Stewart and Kyan Berry-Johnson are juniors. Both made spectacular grabs and are developing more chemistry with Williams as the season advances.

Stewart had eight catches for 205 yards and four touchdowns. Berry-Johnson added nine receptions for 141 yards and senior Kaleb Miller had four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown.

The Raiders were without head coach John Ivlow, who missed the game due to a medical issue.

“I feel terrible that [Ivlow] wasn’t here,” Zvonar said. “I talked to him on the phone today and wished him well. Hopefully his recovery is quick. Without him you have to give them even more credit.”

Lincoln-Way East travels to Sandburg next week. The Eagles upset the Griffins last season and took down Lockport on Friday.

Bolingbrook has another major test next week against Homewood-Flossmoor. The Raiders are one of the area’s most intriguing teams. Expect them to take some more lumps this season, but they could mature into a special group next year.

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1. Mount Carmel (5-0)

Won 41-17 vs. St. Ignatius

2. Loyola (4-0)

Saturday vs. Fenwick

3. Lincoln-Way East (5-0)

Won 42-32 vs. No. 11 Bolingbrook

4. Warren (4-1)

Lost 23-14 vs. Lake Zurich

5. Glenbard West (4-0)

Saturday vs. Addison Trail

6. Prospect (4-1)

Lost 41-34 (OT) vs. No. 23 Hersey

7. Simeon (4-0)

Friday vs. Hubbard at Gately

8. Jacobs (4-0)

Friday at Huntley

9. Joliet Catholic (4-0)

Friday at Crete-Monee

10. Maine South (2-2)

Friday vs. Glenbrook North

11. Bolingbrook (3-2)

Lost 42-32 at No. 1 Lincoln-Way East

12. Marist (3-2)

Won 42-0 vs. Marmion

13. Lemont (5-0)

Won 44-6 vs. Tinley Park

14. Lyons (4-0)

Saturday vs. No. 24 York

15. Neuqua Valley (4-1)

Won 14-7 at Naperville Central

16. Naperville North (4-1)

Won 38-21 vs. DeKalb

17. Prairie Ridge (4-1)

Won 27-16 vs. Cary-Grove

18. Homewood-Flossmoor (4-1)

Won 20-17 vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais

19. St. Rita (3-2)

Won 27-0 at St. Patrick

20. Wheaton North (4-1)

Won 28-7 at Lake Park

21. Batavia (3-2)

Won 35-6 at Glenbard North

22. Kankakee (4-1)

Won 56-6 vs. Thornwood

23. Hersey (5-0)

Won 41-34 (OT) at No. 6 Prospect

24. York (4-0)

Saturday at No. 14 Lyons

25. Notre Dame (4-1)

Won 33-7 at St. Viator

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PITTSBURGH — The Cubs started rookie right-hander Javier Assad on Friday against the Pirates. Behind him at second base was Esteban Quiroz, who made his major-league debut last week. At shortstop was Zach McKinstry, who has seized an every-day role with the Cubs after being stuck on the Dodgers’ bench for much of the first half of the season.

The list goes on. Jared Young, who served as the designated hitter, also made his big-league debut a week ago. Rookies Christopher Morel and Nelson Velazquez entered the game in later innings, and rookie Erich Uelmen came in to close the game.

That level of inexperience has been common in Cubs lineups in recent weeks. The absence of more established players has opened opportunities all over the field. Still, the Cubs swept the Mets last week and won a three-game series against the Marlins. They also lost a series to the Rockies.

With a 6-5 victory Friday against the Pirates, the Cubs went up 2-0 in the four-game series.

”I would love to be finishing this year with myself and Seiya [Suzuki] and Willson [Contreras] and Rafi [Ortega] out there,” said shortstop Nico Hoerner, whohas been sidelined almost two weeks with a strained right triceps. ”You want to see the full version of the team out there competing and finishing the year like that, but it’s just not the case of what’s happening. I think the guys that are out there are doing a really nice job competing.”

Contreras (sprained left ankle) has been on the injured list since early September. Suzuki has been in Japan awaiting the birth of his first child. Ortega is out for the rest of the season with a broken finger.

Less than two weeks remain in the regular season, but the Cubs have not yet ruled out Contreras and Hoerner returning. In the meantime, they are getting a look at a swath of players and evaluating which ones will be part of their plans for the ”next great Cubs team.”

In turn, players are getting their first taste of the big leagues. Quiroz, for example, played for adecade in the Mexican League and the minor leagues before his call-up last week. He has made an impact at the plate and in the field every time he has been in the starting lineup.

On Friday, not only did he add another diving play to his defensive highlight reel, but he drove in the go-ahead run with a line-drive single in the eighth inning.

Assad has stuck in the rotation for much of the month. He had a 2.53 ERA through his first five outings but has allowed four runs in each of his last two starts (one was unearned against the Pirates). He said he’s working through some mechanical issues in his lower half but felt an improvement Friday in comparison to his last start.

”I think that I’ve done a great job,” Assad said, looking over his season as a whole. ”I’ve left a pretty good impression. I’ve worked hard. . . . I’ve made certain adjustments, certain tweaks throughout the year. And I’m here.”

In the ninth, Uelmen worked out of a bases-loaded jam to notch the first save of his career.

Including this road trip to Miami and Pittsburgh, the Cubs face only one team with a record above .500 in their final five series. They end with home-and-home series against the Reds. So how are the Cubs making sure they keep their foot on the gas?

”It’s about the daily process with the work and how we come in and the expectations of how we play — running balls out, hitting the cutoff man,” manager David Ross said. ”Just the attention to the details and not letting that go anywhere.”

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With each White Sox loss, the reward of returning from injury before the end of the season is offset more by the risk of aggravating that injury and adding more questions to an uncertain winter.

In the cases of shortstop Tim Anderson and outfielder Luis Robert, their comeback attempts don’t seem urgent as the Sox sink further from playoff contention.

After getting swept by the first-place Guardians this week, the Sox showed somepassion Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Tigers. Right fielder Andrew Vaughn robbed Javy Baez of a home run in the fifth inning, and AJ Pollock hit a two-run, game-tying homer in the sixth.

But catcher Yasmani Grandal’s errant throw on a steal attempt set up a sacrifice fly by Riley Greene for the go-ahead run in the seventh, and the Tigers went on to win 5-3.

Acting manager Miguel Cairo remains optimistic that Anderson — trying to return from a tear in his left middle finger suffered Aug. 6 — can rejoin the team before the end of the season, but two factors cloud his return. First, the Sox entered Friday seven games out of first place in the American League Central with 12 games left.

And although Anderson started facing live pitching this week, a minor-league rehab assignment seems questionable since Triple-A Charlotte’s season ends Wednesday.

“If he’s got to do it, he’s got to do it soon,” Cairo said before the game. “But let’s see what happens, and if the trainers come up with a plan.”

Cairo stressed he wants Anderson to return, but not at the cost of re-injuring his hand.

“You got to be 100%,” Cairo said. “But of course, I would like to see him lead off and be with our team at the end of the season.

“We got 12 more games. We got to finish strong, too. Just because we lost three in a row [to the first-place Guardians], that don’t mean we weren’t playing good, and I know those guys are capable of playing hard and playing good baseball.”

Robert, who was hit on his left wrist by a pitch earlier this month, didn’t start for a third consecutive game Friday, and the Sox might be destined to shut him down if he can’t play without pain after two at-bats.

He has started in only six of the last 24 games and has one hit in his last 28 at-bats (.036). The extra rest might be the final try to see if he can heal to the point of returning.

“He’s trying to see if he can go out there and do it without pain,” Cairo said. “He wants to play, and it’s not fun sitting on the bench and watching your teammates play. He wants to play.”

Inactivity during the stretch drive has taken a toll on the injured players, but Cairo doesn’t want them to come back and overcompensate.

“You’re going to be trying to do something with your hands or your stance,you’re going to create bad habits, and you don’t want that on Luis. You don’t want bad habits. He’s such a good player.”

Vaughn empathizes with Robert’s plight, especially after getting hit in the right hand by a pitch in late April.

“I felt it for two months after it happened,” Vaughn said. “But I had to go through it and strengthen it. I hope it gets better.”

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