Oregon Professional Athletes

Oregon Alumni in MLB: Week of Sept. 27–Oct. 3

The final days of the 2026 MLB regular season gave Oregon alumni a few moments worth noting — none more electric than Jonny DeLuca's two-homer afternoon in Tampa Bay.

DeLuca Delivers in the Closing Stretch

The Rays outfielder put on a show Sunday, Sept. 27, going 2-for-whatever with two home runs, two RBI, and two runs scored against Philadelphia. The performance lifted his season average to .266 and served as a highlight-reel cap to his year. DeLuca was back in the lineup Saturday, Oct. 3, as Tampa Bay hosted the Yankees — a final curtain call in what's shaping up as a quietly productive season for the Eugene product. Power from the outfield corners is a premium commodity in today's game, and DeLuca's multi-homer effort was a reminder that he belongs on the short list of Oregon's most watchable big leaguers.

Peterson Takes the Hill for Chicago

David Peterson made a brief but meaningful appearance Thursday, Oct. 1, tossing 1.2 innings for the Cubs against San Diego and striking out one. Chicago dropped that game 1–4, with Yahoo Sports noting that Peterson and the pitching staff kept the Cubs competitive while the offense sputtered against Boston in a DH split. Pitching in low-leverage, end-of-season situations can be thankless work, but Peterson's presence on a Cubs roster navigating a tough final week reflects his standing as a reliable arm out of the Duck program.

Nelson Wraps Arizona's Season

Ryne Nelson worked a clean inning for the Diamondbacks on Sunday, Sept. 27, against San Diego — striking out two but allowing two earned runs in a 4–9 loss. His ERA settled at 4.95 on the season. Nelson, like Peterson, was part of the back-end bullpen puzzle as Arizona's season wound down, and the two-strikeout frame showed the arm talent that made him a first-round pick remains present even if the results were mixed on the day.

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Three Ducks on three different rosters, all active in the season's final week — that's a testament to Oregon's continued pipeline into professional baseball. DeLuca's power surge is the headline, but Peterson and Nelson keeping roster spots in competitive organizations signals that the program's MLB presence isn't thinning anytime soon.

A week of contrasting fates for Oregon alumni in MLB: Jonny DeLuca is rolling into the postseason with the Tampa Bay Rays, while Spencer Steer is heading to the operating table with a wrist injury that ends his 2026 campaign.

DeLuca Locked In at the Right Time

Jonny DeLuca saved his best for last. The former Duck ripped eight hits across five games this week — including a three-hit effort in Wednesday's loss to the Yankees — finishing the regular season with a .263 average and his best offensive stretch of September. He drove in runs in three separate games, capping the week with a hit and an RBI in Tampa Bay's 2-0 shutout of the Phillies on Friday, then added another hit and a run in Saturday's 12-1 blowout. For a Rays club that had already clinched and was essentially coasting through the final series, DeLuca still showed up and competed.

That matters heading into October. Tampa Bay is preparing for a Division Series run, though it'll do so without ace Shane McClanahan, who has been ruled out for the ALDS and could return only if the Rays advance deeper. Fellow Oregon alum Garrett Cleavinger, a Rays reliever, has not been ruled out for the ALDS, giving the Ducks a chance at two alumni on the postseason roster.

Steer's Season Cut Short

The news out of Cincinnati was grimmer. Spencer Steer will undergo surgery to repair a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist, the Reds announced — ending a season that had already been disrupted by the injury. Steer is expected to be ready for the start of spring training, so the long-term prognosis is relatively optimistic, but there's no putting a positive spin on losing a versatile, high-contact hitter before the finish line.

Steer had carved out a significant role in Cincinnati as a lefty-swinging corner bat with pop and positional flexibility. The Reds will hope a full offseason of recovery gets him back to 100% before camp opens.

Peterson Solid in a Losing Effort

David Peterson, now with the Cubs after arriving from the Mets, put together a respectable week. He threw five scoreless innings against the Red Sox on Friday — striking out six — but Chicago dropped the game 2-0 and was ultimately swept in the two-game set. Earlier in the week, Peterson went six innings and allowed just one earned run against Cincinnati, finishing with a 4.79 ERA on the season. He didn't get the wins, but the performances themselves were encouraging for a pitcher who should factor into Chicago's 2027 rotation plans.

The Oregon Postseason Watch

With the regular season wrapping up, DeLuca and potentially Cleavinger are the Oregon alumni to watch in October. The Rays have the roster depth and pitching infrastructure to make a run even without McClanahan, and DeLuca's late-season momentum — a legitimate multi-hit week against quality American League competition — is exactly the kind of form a team wants from a young outfielder heading into the playoffs.

Steer will be watching from home. But for Ducks fans, the ALDS could offer plenty of reasons to tune in.

Oregon Alumni Week in MLB: Sept. 13–19

Three Oregon alumni made headlines across MLB this week — one with a dominant start in a pennant race, one returning from a serious injury, and one heading to the shelf in a notable roster move.

Peterson Shines in Cubs' Wild Card Moment

David Peterson gave the Chicago Cubs exactly what they needed Monday against the Atlanta Braves. The Oregon product turned in six innings of one-run ball, punching out seven and allowing the Cubs to cruise to a 7-3 victory at Wrigley Field. It was a vintage outing from Peterson, who lowered his ERA to 5.11 on the season — a number that flatters neither the start nor the pitcher's overall campaign, but the timing was everything. The Cubs are locked in a stiff fight for the top National League Wild Card spot, and Peterson's gem helped keep the pressure on.

Pete Crow-Armstrong stole the highlight reel with a homer and four RBIs, but Peterson was the engine. Keeping Atlanta's lineup to a single earned run over six frames, in a game the Cubs couldn't afford to drop, is exactly the kind of contribution a rotation piece earns its keep with in September.

Nelson Returns to Bolster Arizona

Across the NL West, Ryne Nelson made his long-awaited return to the Diamondbacks. Arizona reinstated the right-hander from the 60-day injured list this week, designating Derek Law for assignment to clear roster space. Nelson had been sidelined since mid-June with a partial flexor tear — a diagnosis that can end seasons or careers — but avoided surgery and worked his way back.

He made his first appearance Thursday against the Marlins, logging 1.1 innings. The Diamondbacks, clearly managing his workload carefully, are getting a live arm back at exactly the right moment of the season. Nelson's return gives Arizona a bullpen option with legitimate upside, and his ERA sits at 4.89 after his first action back. The bigger story is simply that he's on the mound at all.

Steer Shut Down for the Year

Less encouraging news out of Cincinnati: Spencer Steer was transferred to the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his 2026 season. The Reds made the move to clear a 40-man roster spot, claiming infielder/outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera off waivers from the Yankees in the same set of transactions. Manager Terry Francona has addressed the team's plans for Steer heading into the offseason — the focus now shifts to his recovery and what role he'll play for Cincinnati in 2027.

Steer had been one of the more intriguing young bats in the Reds' lineup entering the year, making the shutdown a notable blow for the organization's near-term outlook at the corner infield and outfield.

Also Noted

Jonny DeLuca continued to contribute for the Rays in their AL Wild Card chase, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Wednesday as Tampa Bay edged Oakland 4-3. The outfielder is hitting .259 on the season and has been a steady presence at the bottom of the Rays' lineup. Robby Ahlstrom, meanwhile, was optioned by the Rangers this week to make room for Michel Otañez on the active roster, logging a rough 0.2-inning outing Friday before the move.

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