Cal State Fullerton Professional Athletes

A pair of Cal State Fullerton alumni made news in the final week of the 2026 MLB season — one closing the book on his year, the other logging a quality outing in a pennant-race backdrop.

Lorenzen Moving On From Toronto

Michael Lorenzen's brief Blue Jays tenure is over. After being outrighted by Toronto, the veteran right-hander cleared waivers and elected free agency, giving him a head start on the offseason market. Lorenzen's time in the Toronto rotation was modest — he made six appearances in low-leverage relief following a late-August signing, allowing at least one run in the majority of those outings. He won't be remembered for this particular chapter, but at 34, Lorenzen has the track record and versatility (starter, reliever, and one of baseball's rare two-way players in his prime) to attract interest when clubs begin building their 2027 rosters. For now, the Titan moves on.

Bibee Solid in Late-Season Start

Tanner Bibee gave Cleveland exactly what it needed on Saturday, September 26, turning in six innings of three-run ball against the Royals in an 11-5 Guardians win. The 26-year-old struck out six, showing the feel and poise that made him one of Cleveland's most reliable rotation pieces since his debut. His ERA settled at 4.36 on the season — not the breakout campaign Guardians fans had hoped for, but a respectable line for a young starter still finding his ceiling. With Cleveland posting 11 runs of support, Bibee's start had the feel of a season-ending sendoff on good terms.

The Bigger Titan Picture

Beyond the headliners, Cal State Fullerton's MLB footprint in 2026 remains quietly impressive. Justin Turner continued his late-career renaissance with the Cubs at first base, while Matt Chapman anchored the Giants' infield at third. Fellow Titan Phil Bickford also suited up for Chicago on the mound, giving Fullerton representation in both the Cubs' lineup and bullpen simultaneously — a small but notable footnote for a program that regularly punches above its weight in professional baseball development.

The Lorenzen situation is worth monitoring this winter. He profiles as a low-cost, high-upside arm for a contender seeking bullpen depth or a swing-man option — exactly the kind of signing that gets overlooked in November and overpraised by March. Bibee, meanwhile, heads into the offseason with two full seasons of big-league experience in his back pocket and every reason to believe the best is still ahead.

Cal State Fullerton produced a lot of big-league arms over the years. This week, two of them — Michael Lorenzen and Tanner Bibee — reminded everyone that the gap between a roster spot and the unemployment line can close fast, and that October trust is earned, not given.

Lorenzen's Blue Jays Stint Ends in a DFA

Michael Lorenzen's second chance in Toronto lasted less than a month. The Blue Jays designated the veteran right-hander for assignment this week, capping a brutal stretch that never gave anyone reason for optimism.

Lorenzen had been released by the Rockies before Toronto scooped him up roughly three weeks ago — a low-risk flier that paid exactly what it cost. In his most damaging outing of the period, he surrendered five earned runs over just two innings against Detroit on September 15, including a towering three-run homer from Spencer Torkelson that made the highlight reels for all the wrong reasons. He allowed another run in a September 13 appearance against Baltimore. His ERA stood at 7.08 by the time the Jays pulled the plug.

José Rodríguez takes his roster spot. For Lorenzen, it's now two DFAs in a matter of weeks — a rough chapter for a pitcher who, at his best, has been a legitimate mid-rotation contributor in this league.

Bibee's Playoff Case Weakens by the Start

Tanner Bibee's week encapsulates the entire problem with his 2026 season in a two-start snapshot.

On September 13 against Minnesota, he looked like the pitcher Cleveland needs. Bibee went 6.2 innings, struck out seven, and allowed just two runs in a 9-2 Guardians blowout — the kind of outing that makes you think the rust is off. Then came September 19 against Oakland: 4.2 innings, six earned runs, two strikeouts, Cleveland losing 12-6. ERA ticked back up to 4.35.

That whipsaw inconsistency is exactly what Sports Illustrated flagged in a piece this week identifying Bibee as the Guardians' biggest liability heading into the postseason. Among Cleveland's five starters, he's sitting well below the rest of the rotation in terms of reliability — a shaky fifth option at a time of year when rotations typically contract and every start carries outsized weight.

The Guardians are good enough to carry him if he pitches like he did against the Twins. The question is whether anyone in Cleveland's front office — or dugout — feels confident predicting which version shows up when October baseball begins.

The Titan Thread

Two Fullerton arms, two very different problems: one fighting for a job, one fighting for credibility in a pennant race. Neither situation resolves cleanly. Lorenzen will likely draw interest again if he clears waivers — he's a known commodity with a long track record — but the leverage is gone. Bibee still has time to make his case, but the calendar is running out and the bar is rising.

For a program that has sent more pitchers to the majors than almost anyone, Fullerton fans know the ceiling. They're watching two of their own bump up against it in real time.

Bibee vs. Lorenzen: Fullerton's Alumni Weekend in Cleveland

Cal State Fullerton sent two of its own to the same series last week — and neither had much to brag about afterward.

Tanner Bibee took the mound for Cleveland in Thursday's rubber match against Toronto, and the results were strange enough to earn a footnote in the record books — though not a flattering one. Bibee's line through four innings — 4 IP, 4 K, 5 earned runs — produced a specific stat combination that hadn't been recorded since 1973, according to Heavy Sports. It wasn't historically great. It was historically odd, a distinction that about sums up Bibee's season as a whole. The right-hander's ERA sat at 4.06 after the outing, a number that tells the story of a pitcher capable of flashing genuine stuff while occasionally unraveling without warning.

On the other side of the diamond — literally — was fellow Titan Michael Lorenzen, pitching out of Toronto's bullpen. Lorenzen had appeared earlier in the series on Tuesday, working one inning and allowing two earned runs, a cameo that pushed his ERA to 7.13. He didn't factor into the rubber match, but the narrative writes itself: two Fullerton alums, same series, different uniforms, both searching for answers.

Lorenzen then turned up again Saturday as Toronto handled Kansas City 9-2. He threw three innings, struck out two, and surrendered one earned run — a modest step in the right direction, though his ERA barely budged, settling at 7.03. It's been a rough stretch for the veteran, who has now allowed runs in multiple appearances this week.

The Bigger Picture

The Bibee-Lorenzen overlap is the kind of quirk that alumni networks love — two guys from the same Fullerton program facing off at the highest level of the sport. But beyond the novelty, both players are navigating genuinely difficult moments in their 2026 campaigns.

Bibee, still only in his mid-20s, has the profile of a legitimate rotation piece. His strikeout rate against Toronto (4 Ks in 4 innings) isn't alarming, but the five earned runs signal that his command or sequencing broke down at a critical point. Cleveland will need him sharp down the stretch if they're chasing anything meaningful in September.

Lorenzen's situation is more pressing. A 7.03 ERA out of the bullpen is the kind of number that invites roster decisions. The Blue Jays gave him three innings Saturday, which could signal an attempt to stretch him out or simply a byproduct of a lopsided game — either way, continued struggles will test Toronto's patience.

For Fullerton fans, the week offered something rare and worth savoring regardless of the outcomes: two Titans on opposite sides of a major-league series, carrying the same program's name into a September that still has plenty of story left to tell.