LSU Professional Athletes

Bregman's MVP Case Hits a New Peak

Alex Bregman didn't just have a good week — he made history. On Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, the LSU product went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs as the Cubs routed the Braves 8-4. But the night's signature moment belonged to both Bregman and centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who combined to accomplish something MLB hadn't seen in nearly 70 years — a rare dual feat that sent Wrigley into a frenzy and further cemented Bregman's place in Chicago's best-in-baseball offense.

It wasn't just the stat line. According to The Sporting News, Bregman's presence in the Cubs' clubhouse has been a catalyst for Crow-Armstrong's own MVP-caliber season, with teammates crediting the former Astros star for "unleashing" the young outfielder's potential. That's the kind of fingerprint that doesn't show up on a box score — and it's exactly the sort of veteran leadership Cubs front office was betting on when they signed Bregman this past winter, a decision that left the Red Sox scrambling to adjust their own plans.

The week wasn't without turbulence. Bregman went 0-for-5 in a 6-4 Friday loss to Cincinnati, and the Cubs shuffled their lineup heading into Saturday's rematch with the Reds. But even with a down game sprinkled in, Bregman is running a .262 average with the kind of RBI production that keeps him in the NL MVP conversation deep into September. On his off-day Thursday, he even found time to celebrate a Churchill Downs victory by his racehorse — Cubs players joined in the festivities, per video circulating on social media.

Skenes and Pittsburgh: A Season Gone Sideways

Across the league, the story for LSU's other marquee name is far grimmer. Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates have been officially eliminated from playoff contention, closing the book on a season that once carried genuine promise.

Skenes, who entered 2026 as one of the most hyped young arms in baseball, has not been the shutdown ace Pittsburgh needed. On Friday, he surrendered five earned runs over six innings against Kansas City in an 8-5 loss — pushing his ERA to 3.91, a number that, while not catastrophic, falls well short of the standard set by his electric rookie campaign. FanSided and Heavy Sports both noted that Skenes has drawn the bulk of scrutiny for the Pirates' collapse, though the failures run deeper than any one pitcher. The Pirates manager offered a measured but honest assessment of Skenes heading into the Royals start — acknowledging the struggles without throwing his ace under the bus.

The Pirates may finish with one of the league's worst records. For Skenes, the offseason questions will be pointed: Was this a sophomore slump, or something more structural?

Around the Diamond

A few other Tigers worth noting:

Kevin Gausman took the mound Tuesday for Chicago against Atlanta, going 5.2 innings and allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts (ERA: 4.55). The Cubs needed more, but the veteran stabilized after a rough outing against Milwaukee.

Grant Taylor had a solid stretch for the White Sox, logging 2.1 scoreless innings Thursday against Detroit (ERA: 2.34) before giving up two earned in 1.2 frames Tuesday. Chicago's AL Central situation remains tenuous.

Gage Jump's rookie season with the Athletics ended abruptly — the lefty was placed on the 15-day IL on September 13 with a left shoulder impingement after exiting his last start after just 44 pitches. Sports Illustrated has already begun grading his freshman campaign.

Aaron Nola continues to be a quiet force for playoff-bound Philadelphia, with his recent performances dropping the Phillies' magic number and drawing praise as a potential October X-factor.

LSU's footprint across the league is wide — but this week, it all came back to two poles: Bregman's brilliance in Chicago and Skenes' unfinished business in Pittsburgh.

Kade Anderson's Moment

The headliner of the week belonged to Kade Anderson, and it wasn't close. The Mariners left-hander turned in the best start of his young MLB career on September 9, going six innings, allowing just one run, and striking out five against the Rangers — good enough for his first career MLB win. The performance wasn't a fluke; Anderson has been steadily building toward this, and Seattle now has a genuine reason to pencil him into their future rotation plans. The win put immediate pressure on veterans Bryce Miller and Emerson Hancock to hold their spots, which is exactly the kind of problem a franchise wants its prospects creating in September.

Skenes Grinds Through a Pivotal Stretch

Paul Skenes isn't overpowering hitters the way he did as a rookie sensation, but he's finding ways to compete. The Pirates ace has "uncomfortably transformed into a pitching craftsman," per Sports Illustrated — leaning on location and sequencing when his elite stuff hasn't been there. On Saturday against the Cubs, Skenes delivered seven innings, four strikeouts, and two earned runs (ERA: 3.78) in what SI called the most important start of his season, with Pittsburgh's postseason positioning on the line. He didn't get the win, but the outing underscored that Skenes can still be the guy when the Pirates need him most — even if the version on the mound looks different than the one who debuted.

Bregman Heats Up for the Cubs

Alex Bregman had a week worth watching. After a quiet stretch entering the Brewers series, Bregman went 1-for-4 with a walk on Wednesday (Cubs vs. Brewers), then erupted Friday against the Pirates with three hits, a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored — boosting his average to .263. He added another hit and a run Saturday as Chicago took the series opener from Pittsburgh, 4-3. With the Cubs chasing a postseason spot, Bregman is doing exactly what they signed him to do: produce when it matters.

Josh Smith Forces the Blue Jays' Hand

Josh Smith arrived in Toronto at the trade deadline and wasted no time making himself indispensable. On Wednesday against the Athletics, Smith went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 4-2 Blue Jays win — part of a back-to-back second-inning shot with Kazuma Okamoto. By week's end, Sports Illustrated was making the case that Smith has earned everyday at-bats, and Sportsnet was floating his defensive versatility as a potential solution in left field. Smith added another hit and a run scored Saturday in a 7-3 win over the Orioles. The Blue Jays brass appears to be listening: Heavy Sports reported the team made a roster decision centered around Smith during the Orioles series, signaling he's locked into Toronto's September plans.

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Four LSU alumni. Four distinct stories. Anderson's first win, Skenes' crafty survival, Bregman's clutch surge, and Smith's rapid ascent in Toronto — the Tigers are making noise all over the league in the final month.

LSU Alumni Report: Aug. 30–Sept. 5

Bregman and Gausman Fuel Chicago's Charge

The Cubs' playoff push has a distinctly Purple and Gold engine under the hood right now, and Alex Bregman lit it on fire Aug. 31.

The LSU product went off for three home runs and four RBIs against Milwaukee, a performance that — alongside Pete Crow-Armstrong — helped the Cubs make MLB history not seen in 27 years, per The Sporting News. It was the kind of game that resets a narrative: Bregman entered the week quietly producing and exited it as the hottest hitter in the NL. He followed the explosion with additional contributions across the Brewers series, posting hits in three of four games and finishing the week batting .262.

The Bregman fireworks didn't arrive alone. On Sept. 3, fellow Tiger Kevin Gausman — acquired from the Blue Jays ahead of the trade deadline — delivered one of his best outings as a Cub, carving up Milwaukee for nine strikeouts over seven innings while allowing just one earned run to pick up his third consecutive win. The Cubs edged the Brewers 2-1 in a game that underscored exactly why Chicago went and got Gausman. His ERA now sits at 4.38, trending in the right direction at the worst possible time for NL opponents.

Two LSU alumni. One week. A statement series win in a tight division race.

Skenes Remains the Story in Pittsburgh — For Better and Worse

Whatever is happening with Paul Skenes in 2026, it commands attention even when it goes sideways.

On Sept. 1, the Pirates' ace allowed five earned runs over just 4.2 innings against the Giants — blowing a five-run lead in what eventually became a chaotic 13-12 Pittsburgh walk-off win on a Giants error. The box score was an embarrassment for Skenes. The outcome, somehow, was not. That tension has defined his entire season.

The noise surrounding Skenes has grown loud enough to fuel debates about whether Pittsburgh should shut him down entirely. Sports Illustrated argued firmly against that, suggesting the Pirates need to let their ace work through his issues rather than pull the plug. The weight-related speculation has added another layer of distraction, with FanSided reporting that fan hysteria over Skenes' physical condition threatens to overshadow his long-term future in Pittsburgh — and potentially his desire to stay there.

Skenes' ERA climbed to 3.97 after the Giants start. The talent is still there; the 2026 version just hasn't matched the expectations set by one of the most hyped young arms in recent memory.

Around the Diamond

LSU's other active alumni had quieter weeks. Kade Anderson made his second MLB start for Seattle on Sept. 4 against the Athletics, going five innings but allowing four earned runs in a 4-5 Mariners loss — a rocky showing for a top prospect Baseball America flagged as one to watch in September callup season. Josh Smith bounced back from a stint off the Blue Jays' roster to launch a home run in his first at-bat back, adding a flash of power in Toronto's eventual 9-2 rout of Kansas City on Sept. 5. Dylan Crews stayed patient at the plate for Washington, drawing walks in multiple games but finishing the week with a .216 average. Grant Taylor provided steady late-inning work for the White Sox, logging two appearances without allowing a run across two innings.