South Florida Professional Athletes

South Florida's MLB alumni class is no stranger to the big stage, but this week two of its most prominent names found themselves on the wrong side of the headlines — one sidelined by injury, the other sent to the minors.

McClanahan Ruled Out for ALDS

Shane McClanahan won't be on the mound when the Tampa Bay Rays open their Division Series. Manager Kevin Cash confirmed the left-hander is unavailable for the ALDS, a significant blow to a rotation that has leaned on him as a centerpiece. McClanahan has missed most of the season due to injury, and while the Rays haven't completely closed the door on a potential return later in the postseason — should Tampa Bay advance — his absence for the first round is now official.

The loss is hard to overstate. McClanahan is one of the most electric arms to come through USF, and a healthy version of him changes the Rays' ceiling dramatically. Without him, Tampa Bay will need to piece together its rotation and look to bullpen options like Tyler Wells and Garrett Cleavinger, who the club has not yet ruled out for the ALDS. For now, Bulls fans will be watching the bracket and hoping their guy gets a chance to contribute later.

Kerkering Demoted After Brutal Collapse

The news out of Philadelphia is just as grim. The Phillies optioned Orion Kerkering to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after a catastrophic late-season stretch that culminated in a four-run outing against the Mets. Kerkering owns a 15.43 ERA over his last seven appearances — a staggering number for a pitcher who entered the year as one of Philadelphia's most reliable bullpen arms.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski didn't sugarcoat it. "He's been struggling for a while," Dombrowski said on NBC Sports Philadelphia. "It's been an extended period, unfortunately." The team recalled Max Lazar from the minors to fill the roster spot.

Kerkering's fall is jarring given the context. He led the Phillies with 17 holds this season, making him one of the team's most-used relievers. But his post-All-Star Break performance spiraled, and with Philadelphia in a postseason push against the Mets, the front office decided it had seen enough. Whether Kerkering can right the ship in Triple-A and earn a roster spot for October remains an open question.

The Rest of the Bulls

Not all the USF news is bleak. Brad Lord continues to hold his own in Washington's rotation, spinning 3.1 innings of two-run ball in a Nationals win over Detroit on Wednesday, maintaining a solid 3.78 ERA. Jimmy Herget had a busier week for Colorado — 1.0 inning against Seattle on Sunday, followed by a longer 2.2-inning outing Thursday against Arizona in which he struck out four, though he surrendered two earned runs. His ERA sits at 5.70.

Neither storyline rises to the level of McClanahan and Kerkering this week, but both pitchers are still grinding through their seasons. For South Florida fans tracking the alumni circuit, it's a week of contrasts: one Bull locked out of October's spotlight, another sent down before he could even reach it.

Strzelecki Moves On From St. Louis

For the first time in his MLB career, Peter Strzelecki is a free agent — and it didn't come without a fight.

The 32-year-old USF product was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on Wednesday after being reinstated from the 15-day injured list, a move that coincided with St. Louis activating standout rookie JJ Wetherholt. Rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Memphis, Strzelecki exercised his right to elect free agency — a right he earned by having been previously outrighted. It's a distinction that matters: this isn't a roster casualty quietly shipped to the minors. Strzelecki chose the open market.

He had joined the Cardinals on a minor league contract in late July, so the tenure was brief. But the decision to reject the outright speaks to a veteran reliever betting on himself with one of the sport's busiest September windows approaching. What comes next for Strzelecki remains to be seen, but he enters the market with four years of MLB service time and something to prove.

Kerkering's Tough September Continues

If Strzelecki's week ended with a measure of agency, Orion Kerkering's ended with a frank reckoning.

The Phillies reliever was hit hard twice by the Mets in back-to-back appearances. On Friday, Kerkering allowed three earned runs in one inning — including a three-run homer to Juan Soto that sealed a 6-3 Philadelphia loss. He followed that up Saturday with four earned runs surrendered in another inning of work as the Mets rolled, 10-3. His ERA sits at 4.97 on the season.

Kerkering didn't deflect after Friday's outing. "Just a rough couple of months," he said on NBC Sports Philadelphia's postgame coverage. "I think tonight…" — and by his own admission, there wasn't a clean explanation to offer. That kind of honesty from a young reliever is worth noting, even if the results remain a problem the Phillies need solved heading into a potential postseason run.

Around the League

Nationals reliever Brad Lord delivered back-to-back solid outings this week. He tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in Saturday's 9-1 Washington win over St. Louis — a lopsided result that was, by coincidence, the same franchise that cut Strzelecki loose earlier in the week. Lord also appeared Tuesday against Philadelphia, though he lasted just a third of an inning in a 6-3 Nationals win. His ERA sits at 3.94 on the season.

Rockies reliever Jimmy Herget logged two-inning stints in both of Colorado's games this week — a 1-8 loss to Detroit on Sunday and a 3-9 defeat to San Diego on Thursday — without recording an earned run in either appearance. His season ERA stands at 5.76, but the back-to-back clean outings offer at least a small sign of stabilization for a pitcher who has had a difficult year.

The Bulls continue to have one of the more quietly deep rosters of alumni in the majors, with 13 active players across the league. This week, Strzelecki's departure and Kerkering's struggles were the sharpest storylines — but with postseason races tightening across the NL, more USF names figure to surface before October arrives.