Loyola Marymount Professional Athletes

For a program that doesn't always see its alumni under the brightest lights, Loyola Marymount got a marquee moment in Game 1 of the 2026 World Series — and it came with the season on the line.

Trevor Megill, the 6-foot-8 right-hander out of LMU, took the mound in the ninth inning of a 3-2 Brewers lead over the Tampa Bay Rays and found himself in an immediate crisis. A chaotic sequence — including a double play that was overturned on review — left runners on second and third with Milwaukee's season-opening win hanging by a thread. Megill didn't flinch. He struck out Jonny DeLuca to end it, preserving the victory and earning the save in what may be the highest-stakes appearance of his career.

The moment was the latest chapter in what Sports Illustrated has called a "historic postseason" for Megill, who has emerged as Milwaukee's most trusted late-inning arm when everything is on the line. His ERA sits at 1.35 through the postseason, a number that has drawn attention not just from fans but from the Brewers' front office — SI noted the organization now faces a significant decision about keeping him this offseason.

What makes the narrative richer is where Megill came from to get here. He was once a Cub, let go before finding his footing with Milwaukee — a fact that wasn't lost on Heavy Sports, which pointed out Chicago's indirect role in helping the Brewers win Game 1. Before that, he was a Lion, developing at LMU before climbing a long road to the Fall Classic.

The ninth inning itself was as dramatic as October gets. After Milwaukee initially thought a double play had ended the game, the call was overturned on replay, putting the Rays back in business and the ball back in Megill's hand. The crowd, the moment, the stakes — none of it seemed to matter. One strikeout later, the Brewers were headed back to the dugout with a 1-0 Series lead and Megill was the story of the night.

Beyond Megill, no other LMU alumni saw significant action in the league during this period. But right now, none of them need to. One Lion on the World Series stage — closing out Game 1 with runners on base and a championship on the horizon — is more than enough to give the Westside program something to talk about for years.

The Series continues, and Megill's role figures to remain central. For LMU fans, every late-inning call to the bullpen is now must-watch television.

When the Brewers need the door slammed shut in October, they're handing the ball to a Lion.

Trevor Megill, an LMU product standing 6-foot-8 and built like a linebacker, has emerged as one of the most important arms in the National League Championship Series. The Milwaukee closer is making life miserable for a Dodgers lineup that doesn't typically struggle to find runs — and he's doing it on the biggest stage of his career.

The NLCS Performances

Game 1 set the tone. With the Brewers clinging to a 2-1 lead on Sunday, October 12, Megill came on and worked a clean inning to close out Los Angeles. It wasn't without drama — a two-out walk to Kyle Tucker left the tying run on base — but Megill stranded the runner and Milwaukee escaped with the win. Holding a one-run lead against the Dodgers in a playoff opener is exactly the kind of moment that defines a closer's reputation.

He was back at it Thursday, October 15, this time in a more comfortable 6-2 ballgame. Megill worked 1.1 innings and struck out two, keeping the Dodgers' bats quiet and the Brewers' celebration intact. In a short series, every high-leverage appearance matters, and Megill is delivering in both the tight spots and the cleaner ones.

From Cubs Castoff to Postseason Anchor

Megill's October spotlight is the payoff from a winding road through professional baseball. He made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2021 but was eventually let go — a move that now looks like a costly miscalculation from Chicago's front office. After a stint with the Twins, he was traded to Milwaukee in 2023, and the Brewers turned him into their closer.

That ascent has come with contract implications. Sports Illustrated noted earlier this year that the Brewers faced a genuine decision about whether to trade Megill before he reached a potential payday — a testament to how much his value has grown in Milwaukee. He's still under team control for now, and at the moment, he looks like exactly the kind of arm a contending club holds onto.

The LMU Connection

For Loyola Marymount fans watching the NLCS, Megill's moment carries a particular charge. The West Los Angeles campus sits less than 20 miles from Dodger Stadium, meaning the LMU alum is, quite literally, closing the door on the Brewers' opponent in his own backyard.

No other LMU alumni in MLB are currently generating postseason noise — the rest of the school's active big leaguers, including David Fletcher (Braves), Nick Sogard (Red Sox), and Nick Frasso (Rockies), are watching October from home. Megill is flying the Lion flag alone this October, and so far, he's doing it well.

The NLCS continues, and Milwaukee will keep turning to its closer when the margin is thin and the moment is large. For LMU alumni, that means appointment television — and a reason to root for the team in cream and navy blue.