Maryland Professional Athletes

Brandon Lowe saved his best for last — and now Pittsburgh doesn't want to let him go.

The Maryland alum and Pirates second baseman turned in one of the most complete weeks of his 2026 campaign, homering in three consecutive games (Sept. 15, 16, and 18) while driving in runs in five of six appearances from Sept. 13–19. He went deep against the Brewers twice in mid-week, then capped the stretch with a two-run shot in Pittsburgh's 8-5 win over the Royals on Friday, followed by another two-RBI performance Saturday in a 6-5 Pittsburgh victory. His average climbed from .258 to .262 over the week — a quietly elite number for a middle infielder acquired in an offseason three-team trade with the Rays and Astros.

The numbers only tell part of the story. Lowe was also named the Pirates' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, one of the sport's most distinguished honors, recognizing his impact both on and off the field. Yahoo Sports called him "one of the most meaningful additions to the Pirates in the last decade" — high praise for a player who arrived in Pittsburgh just this past winter.

The Extension Soap Opera

The bigger story may be what happens next. Lowe is on track to hit free agency this offseason, and the situation is generating real noise throughout the league. Per MLB Trade Rumors, citing Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Colin Beazley, both Lowe and the Pirates have mutual interest in a new deal — a notable development given how rarely that kind of alignment is confirmed publicly this early. Lowe himself said he's open to staying in Pittsburgh.

But "open" doesn't mean "done." Sports Illustrated reported disappointing extension news from a Pirates insider, suggesting a deal is far from certain. The Sporting News framed the situation bluntly, pegging Lowe's projected free-agent value near $23 million annually and urging the club to do whatever it takes to keep him. A separate SI piece put it even more directly: the Pirates must act.

The qualifying offer question is also in play. MLB Trade Rumors' mailbag addressed whether Pittsburgh could extend a QO to Lowe — a financial lever that could complicate his free-agent market if talks break down.

For a franchise that hasn't exactly been known for locking up homegrown or acquired stars, the pressure is real. Lowe's 2026 season — franchise milestone included — has made the case for itself.

Around the Maryland Alumni

Two other Terps made noise during the week. White Sox right-hander Sean Burke posted a quality start Monday against Cleveland (5 IP, 4 K, 3.47 ERA) and backed it up Saturday against Detroit with six innings of one-run ball, striking out five in a 3-1 Chicago win. Burke sits at 9-7 on the season, holding an ERA of 3.40.

Cubs outfielder Matt Shaw had a productive week at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a run and a walk Tuesday against Atlanta and contributing an RBI Saturday against Cincinnati. He was named "Superhero" in two separate Cubs heroes-and-goats recaps, a fan-community staple that's become something of a weekly honor for him.

The headline, though, belongs to Lowe. A Maryland product setting franchise milestones, earning MLB-wide recognition, and forcing a playoff-push city to weigh his long-term future — that's a week worth remembering in College Park.

Maryland's week in MLB told two very different stories — and they happened to collide on the same diamond.

Burke's Nightmare in the Windy City

Sean Burke has been the brightest light in an otherwise dim White Sox rotation, but Tuesday night in Chicago was an aberration no one saw coming. The former Terp lasted just 1.1 innings against the Pirates, surrendering a career-high seven earned runs in what became the shortest — and ugliest — outing of his professional career. Burke struck out two but couldn't escape the damage, watching Pittsburgh put up nine runs in a 9-3 White Sox loss that set the tone for the series.

The ERA damage was real: Burke's number jumped to 3.58 on the season. For a White Sox club with little margin for error, a collapse from its most reliable arm qualifies as an alarm bell. The matchup was billed as Burke vs. Bubba Chandler before first pitch — it turned into something far more lopsided, and fast.

Lowe Keeps Raking for Pittsburgh

On the other side of that blowout? Brandon Lowe, doing exactly what he's done all season. The Pirates second baseman went 2-for-the-night with two runs scored and a walk in the series opener against Burke and the White Sox, piling onto an already punishing Pirates offensive effort. He followed it up Wednesday with another multi-hit game — 2-for-with a walk — keeping his average at .259 and his hot-streak momentum intact.

Lowe's consistency has made him one of the more interesting storylines in Pittsburgh this September. He's the Pirates' home run leader, and according to a fan poll circulating this week, Bucs supporters are already anxious about whether the team will re-sign him this offseason. That's the kind of leverage a .257 average and regular multi-hit performances in September can generate.

Lowe continued his week with a hit and run scored Saturday against the Cubs, finishing the period as Maryland's clear offensive standout in the league.

Shaw Stays Active in Chicago

On the North Side, fellow Terp Matt Shaw has been grinding through a tough late-season stretch for the Cubs. Shaw drew a walk and drove in a run in Saturday's loss to Pittsburgh, part of a week that saw his average settle at .237. The Cubs are monitoring Shaw's future closely — trade speculation has followed the versatile infielder heading into the offseason, with Chicago weighing whether to deal him despite projecting him as a potential 2027 starter.

Shaw appeared in multiple games this week without a major breakout, but his presence in the lineup remains consistent as the Cubs close out their season.

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The week's clearest Maryland headline, though, belongs to the Burke-Lowe collision: one Terp had the worst outing of his career, the other was a key reason why. College Park's alumni footprint was impossible to miss in that White Sox-Pirates series — even if the box score stung for Burke and his fans.

Brandon Lowe Steals the Show in Pittsburgh

It doesn't get much more cinematic than this. Brandon Lowe — the Maryland second baseman now anchoring the Pirates' lineup — went 4-for-6 with a solo home run and scored the winning run on an error in the ninth inning as Pittsburgh outlasted the San Francisco Giants in a wild 13-12 thriller on Tuesday. In a game that featured Oneil Cruz also going 4-for-6 with four RBI, it was Lowe's presence from top to bottom of the box score that stood out. The walk-off finish capped a week in which Lowe was consistently productive, adding a hit Sunday against St. Louis (2-for-the-day, 1 RBI) and another knock Friday against the Angels to keep his average humming at .253. The performance has lit up the Pittsburgh fanbase too — Yahoo Sports is already running reader polls on whether the Bucs should bring Lowe back this offseason. That kind of buzz in September tells you everything about his standing with the franchise.

Sean Burke Is Quietly Becoming Must-Watch

While Lowe was delivering drama in Pittsburgh, Maryland righty Sean Burke was handling business on the South Side. In a Wednesday start against the Houston Astros, Burke posted one of the cleaner lines you'll see from a mid-rotation starter this season: 5.2 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts. The White Sox won 5-1, and Burke picked up his 8th win of the year. It was his 28th appearance of the season, and with Chicago sitting at 72-65 and holding ground in the AL playoff race, Burke's contributions aren't a footnote — they're load-bearing. Yahoo Sports called him out specifically in a takeaways column from the series, putting him alongside Josh Hader as a name worth knowing. At a 3.20 ERA, the Maryland product is making a case for himself as a rotation piece to build around.

Shaw and Wade Keep It Interesting

The week's other Maryland alumni didn't steal headlines, but they weren't invisible either. Matt Shaw (Cubs, RF) had himself a productive stretch — most notably a Monday game against the Brewers where he went 1-for-4 with a home run, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. He also contributed a hit Tuesday to keep his average steady at .250. And in a Cubs-Brewers blowout on Thursday — Chicago put up 9 home runs in a 17-3 demolition — Shaw was in the lineup and homered as the Cubs' offense went nuclear. His average sits at .248 heading into the final weeks of the regular season.

LaMonte Wade Jr. (Astros, 1B) had his own highlight: a Sunday home run against the Mets with 2 RBI. His .204 average reflects a bumpy season, but he's not without moments, and the Astros — now at 70-68 — are still squarely in the thick of the AL Wild Card picture.

Jose Cuas (Royals, P) bookended the week with two solid outings — 2 strikeouts in a clean inning Sunday, and another 2 Ks in 0.2 innings Saturday — managing a 2.81 ERA in his late-relief role.

It was, by any measure, a Maryland week worth talking about. Lowe and Burke are the headliners. The rest of the Terps are making sure the supporting cast earns its keep.

Maryland's footprint in MLB was hard to miss this week, with Brandon Lowe making a loud statement in Pittsburgh and Matt Shaw finally back in Chicago after a two-month absence.

Lowe Keeps Raising His Price Tag

Brandon Lowe is doing everything right at exactly the right time. The Pirates second baseman slugged his 28th home run of the season Saturday against the Cardinals in a 6-2 Pittsburgh win, finishing the day with a hit, two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI. It was a fitting punctuation mark on a week in which Lowe was consistently on base — drawing two walks against the Padres on Wednesday and adding a hit against the Dodgers on Sunday to open the period.

The bigger story may be what comes next. Pittsburgh has already been making the case internally that Lowe is too valuable to let walk, and the numbers are backing that up. At .249 with 28 home runs, Lowe has been one of the Pirates' most productive offensive weapons all season. A former top acquisition, he's now forcing the front office's hand on an extension conversation that can't be deferred much longer.

Shaw Back, and the Cubs Need Him

Matt Shaw's return couldn't have come at a better time for Chicago. The Maryland infielder was activated from the injured list this week after missing approximately two months with a hand injury, and the Cubs wasted no time putting him back in the lineup. Shaw went 1-for-his-first-game-back Friday against the Reds, scoring a run and hitting .252, then drew a walk Saturday to stay engaged at the plate.

The timing matters beyond just Shaw's personal comeback. With shortstop Dansby Swanson sidelined until late September, manager Craig Counsell is leaning on Shaw's versatility to fill gaps across the lineup. Shaw enters at .250 on the season — a respectable mark for a player who's been on the shelf for two months. If he can shake off the rust quickly, the Cubs have a genuine boost available for the stretch run.

Around the Diamond

Jose Cuas continued his quietly excellent season out of the Royals bullpen, tossing a scoreless inning Thursday against the Blue Jays to keep his ERA at a sharp 1.93. He allowed a run Sunday against the Tigers, nudging the number to 2.08 — still elite for a reliever in any context.

Sean Burke gave the White Sox three innings Wednesday against the Rangers, striking out three while allowing two earned runs. His ERA sits at 3.32, a reasonable line for a Chicago rotation that has leaned heavily on its arms all year.

LaMonte Wade Jr., now with the Astros, went largely quiet at the plate this week, drawing a walk Wednesday against the Yankees while batting .204–.206 across the period. A productive stretch from a veteran presence like Wade would go a long way for an Astros club still navigating its postseason positioning.