Stanford Professional Athletes

Nico Hoerner's Lone Postseason Stand

When the Chicago Cubs' bats went quiet against the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card round, Stanford's Nico Hoerner refused to follow suit.

The Cubs second baseman slashed .500 across the two-game series — going 2-for-4 in each contest — standing as the only reliable offensive presence on a Chicago roster that ultimately fell 4-1 in the deciding Game 2. It was a performance that underscored exactly the kind of player Hoerner has become: composed, dangerous, and utterly wasted without support.

In Game 2 on October 1, Hoerner drove in Chicago's lone run and, perhaps more memorably, broke up a no-hit bid that threatened to turn a tight loss into an outright humiliation. His ninth-inning double then loaded the bases with the Cubs' season on the line — but the rally stalled, and Chicago was eliminated. As one postseason recap framed it bluntly: Hoerner was the superhero. Everyone else was the goat.

The series may be a footnote for the Cubs franchise, but Hoerner's showing was anything but. A .500 average in a playoff series, a clutch no-hitter interruption, and a last-gasp baserunner in the final inning — Stanford's man in Wrigleyville gave the fanbase something to hold onto heading into the offseason.

Around the Diamond

The rest of the Cardinal red-and-white contingent had quieter weeks, though a few names surfaced in meaningful spots.

Quinn Mathews took the mound for the St. Louis Cardinals in his final start of the 2026 season on September 27, squaring off against former Cardinal Dustin May and the Milwaukee Brewers. The outing was framed as a glimpse of what the Cardinals are building toward — Mathews identified as a potential future rotation staple — but offense carried the night for the Brewers, who used a Brice Turang two-run homer to take the game. Not the sendoff Mathews would have wanted, but a season-ending sample that keeps his name in the Cardinals' long-term plans.

Tommy Edman continued contributing for the Los Angeles Dodgers during their final regular-season stretch. The Stanford-to-Dodgers infielder went 2-for-4 with a walk in a 5-1 win over the Giants on September 27, then added a walk in the Dodgers' 5-3 win over Atlanta on October 3 — steady, professional at-bats for a team with its eyes fixed firmly on a deep October run.

Erik Miller had a rough pair of appearances for the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees, logging just 0.1 innings in each outing and allowing earned runs in both. His ERA ballooned across the two-game stretch, and a Ben Rice solo homer off Miller was featured prominently in coverage of the Yankees' dominant 9-2 victory. The lefty reliever will have a long offseason to reset.

Tim Tawa closed out Arizona's regular season with a productive final day on September 27, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored in one game and adding a hit and an RBI in the earlier contest — a strong finish, even as the Diamondbacks dropped both ends of their doubleheader to the Padres.

For Stanford alumni in MLB this week, the range was wide: a legitimate postseason star in Hoerner, a promising young arm in Mathews, and a Dodgers squad in Edman that's still very much in business.

Two Cardinal Roster Moves Dominate the Week

The final days of the 2026 MLB regular season delivered a stark contrast for Stanford's pitching corps. Cal Quantrill saw his year come to an abrupt end, while Brendan Beck got the briefest of big-league tastes — and was sent right back down.

Quantrill Shut Down for Good

What started as lat tightness became a season-ender. Quantrill was pulled after just 1⅓ innings in a start against the Blue Jays when his fastball dipped to 87.8 mph — well below his usual 93–94 mph — and the Rangers wasted no time getting ahead of the situation. He was placed on the 15-day injured list shortly after, with Winston Santos recalled to fill the roster spot. Days later, Texas made it official: Quantrill is ruled out for the remainder of the season with a right lat strain.

The timing is particularly bitter. Sports Illustrated described Quantrill as a "resurgent star" heading into this stretch, and the Rangers were balancing a crucial late-season series against the Mets when the move was finalized. Joc Pederson's hand fracture landing him on the IL the same week compounded an already difficult moment for the Texas roster. For Quantrill, the offseason begins now.

Beck's MLB Debut: Five Innings, Eight Ks, a Rough Line

Brendan Beck finally reached the majors — and was gone almost as fast. The Yankees called him up before Game 1 of a Friday doubleheader against the Orioles and handed him the start. Beck showed genuine swing-and-miss stuff, punching out eight batters across five innings, but Pete Alonso made his presence felt early, launching a 407-foot homer off Beck in the first inning en route to a 10-2 Orioles blowout. Beck surrendered seven earned runs and finished with a 9.95 ERA. Before Game 2, the Yankees had already moved on, selecting Alexander Cornielle's contract to replace Beck in the bullpen. The 27-year-old right-hander's debut — however brief — is now on the books.

The Rest of the Cardinal Roster

Tommy Edman continued to be one of Stanford's most consistent contributors. The Dodgers second baseman homered in three separate games this week — Sunday against the Giants, Wednesday against the Padres, and again Saturday against San Francisco — finishing the week with multiple hits in two outings and driving in at least a run in three games. He's hitting .243 on the year as LA eyes the postseason.

Kyle Stowers had a productive stretch for Miami. The Marlins outfielder went deep twice against the Cubs — a two-run shot on Tuesday and his 21st homer of the season on Wednesday — as Miami took two of three from Chicago in a series that directly impacted the Cubs' playoff positioning. Stowers is batting .239 on the year.

Nico Hoerner held steady for the Cubs, collecting hits in three of four games and driving in the game-winner in a 2-1 win over St. Louis that clinched a postseason berth for Chicago. Hoerner is batting .264.

Quinn Mathews started twice for the Cardinals, going seven innings against Washington on Sunday and five innings against Milwaukee on Saturday, finishing the week with a 3.83 ERA. Erik Miller had a rough outing Tuesday for Boston — allowing a run that proved decisive in a 3-2 loss to Cleveland, walking the leadoff hitter in the ninth — as his control issues continued to surface at the wrong moment.

Two Stanford arms headlined the Cardinal's week in MLB — one making a long-awaited return to the mound, the other making a case for being one of the best young starters in the National League.

Bubic Is Back — and He's Dodger Blue

Kris Bubic's road back wasn't short. Acquired from the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline, the 29-year-old left-hander spent the early stretch of his Dodgers tenure on the 60-day injured list, watching a playoff-bound team go to work without him. That wait ended this week when Los Angeles officially reinstated Bubic and designated outfielder Ryan Ward for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot.

Bubic made his Dodgers debut in Cincinnati on Wednesday — tossing a clean inning with two strikeouts — then followed up with another inning of work Saturday against San Francisco in an 8-2 Dodgers win, adding a punchout and carrying a 3.96 ERA. Neither outing was a showcase start, but that's not the point: Bubic is healthy, he's in the rotation mix, and the Dodgers are one of the most dangerous clubs in baseball heading into October. Getting stretched out and sharp now is the assignment, and he's checking the boxes.

Teammate Tommy Edman was in and out of the Dodgers' lineup during the week — he was held out of Friday's game against San Francisco — but factored into the club's win over Cincinnati on Wednesday with an RBI and a walk. LA was on the verge of clinching a National League playoff berth as the week unfolded, so every healthy body matters.

Mathews Puts on a Show in St. Louis

If Bubic's week was about reentry, Quinn Mathews' was about arrival. The Cardinals rookie left-hander was nothing short of dominant Monday night against San Francisco, throwing 6.2 innings, allowing just one run, and striking out eight in a 2-1 St. Louis win. Per the game account, he was literally unhittable through the first five frames — a performance that anchored the Cardinals on a night their offense was equally quiet.

Mathews finished the week with a 3.62 ERA, and this gem was the kind of outing that shifts how evaluators and fans alike think about a young pitcher's ceiling.

Around the League

Nico Hoerner continued to be a steady presence for the Cubs, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored Monday before contributing again Friday and Saturday as Chicago closed out its week. He's sitting at .265 on the season.

Cal Quantrill took the ball for Texas on Sunday and delivered six solid innings — four strikeouts, two earned runs — in a 7-6 Rangers win over Arizona. He also started Saturday against Toronto, though he managed only 1.1 innings in that outing. His ERA sits at 2.86.

Erik Miller had a mixed week out of the Red Sox bullpen: a two-strikeout inning Friday, sandwiched around a rough outing Thursday when he surrendered three runs. He's been candid about his recent struggles, and the Red Sox are watching closely.

Tim Tawa notched a first major-league triple in Arizona's loss to the Yankees on Saturday — a footnote in a rough result but a personal milestone nonetheless.

Stanford's week offered the full range: a postseason-caliber pitcher rejoining a title contender, a young ace announcing himself, and a dozen other Cardinal alumni grinding through the final stretch of a long season.