University of Washington Professional Athletes

Two Huskies, One Playoff Push

With the Boston Red Sox fighting for October baseball, a pair of University of Washington alumni are at the center of the story — one grinding through an injury in the middle of the lineup, the other knocking on the door from Triple-A.

Caleb Durbin: Banged Up but Not Backing Down

Durbin addressed his injury status publicly ahead of Boston's series against Tampa Bay, offering a statement that signaled he had no intention of sitting out. The third baseman backed up those words on the field, going 2-for-2 with a run scored in Friday's 4-2 win over the Rays, then adding another 2-hit, 1-run game on Saturday in a 1-2 loss.

Those performances capped a strong week for the former Husky. Durbin opened the period on Sunday, September 13 against Kansas City with a home run, an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk — one of his best all-around games of the season. He worked through a quieter stretch against Texas — a walk and a run Thursday, a hit and a run Wednesday — before catching fire again against Tampa Bay and lifting his average to .253.

The Red Sox entered the Rangers series on a winning streak, having taken back-to-back games from Kansas City, and Durbin remained a key piece of that momentum. Whatever the injury is, he's clearly choosing to play through it at the most critical point of the season.

Braiden Ward: The Case Writes Itself

While Durbin grinds it out on the big-league stage, Ward is doing everything possible to earn his way onto it. The outfielder has been making noise at Triple-A Worcester, and the Red Sox brass is paying attention.

Interim manager Chad Tracy — who briefly managed Ward in the minors — publicly acknowledged Wednesday that a playoff promotion is very much in play. "I think that'd be considered for sure," Tracy said, per MassLive's Chris Cotillo. "It's really hard to predict what a roster could look like, but…" The fact that the conversation is happening at all speaks to Ward's standing in the organization.

The timing isn't coincidental. Per Sports Illustrated, Boston is unlikely to see another speedster return in 2026, opening the door for Ward — who profiles as a similar athletic, outfield option — to step into a postseason role. His WooSox squad looked sharp in the sample window, including a dominant 16-1 blowout of Tampa Bay's Triple-A affiliate in which Ward's teammates feasted, reinforcing the lineup's depth heading into October.

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Andrew Kittredge, the third UW arm on Boston's 40-man, made appearances this week while on assignment with Baltimore — posting a strikeout across 0.2 innings Friday and a clean 1.0-inning outing Tuesday — though his postseason picture remains separate from Boston's current calculus.

The bigger story is clear: the Huskies have two legitimate contributors in a Red Sox organization chasing a pennant. Durbin is playing hurt and producing. Ward is producing and waiting. October will tell the rest.

Caleb Durbin and a Red Sox Team in Freefall

The Boston Red Sox were already dealing with a three-game losing streak when they made a sudden roster move involving University of Washington alumnus Caleb Durbin during their series against the Kansas City Royals — a development that drew immediate attention heading into the final weeks of the MLB season.

The move came on the heels of Boston's 3-2 series-opening loss to Kansas City on Friday, a defeat that deepened the club's skid and raised urgent questions about the roster construction going into a critical stretch. Details of the exact nature of the roster move were first reported by Heavy Sports, but the timing alone signals that Boston's front office is feeling the pressure.

Durbin Holding His Ground

Whatever the organizational turbulence around him, Durbin has been quietly putting together a respectable stretch of play. The former Husky infielder batted .248 entering the weekend and showed consistent contact across the week, recording hits in three of the period's games. He went 1-for-1 on both Friday and Wednesday against the Angels, added two hits with a run scored on Labor Day against Los Angeles, and drew a pair of walks in Tuesday's contest — a sign of plate discipline that has become a hallmark of his game.

Saturday provided his best day of the stretch: Durbin went 1-for-the-game with an RBI as Boston bounced back to defeat Kansas City 5-1, snapping the three-game skid. The win offered some relief, but the roster move earlier in the series ensured the week remained unsettled around the former Washington standout.

Kittredge Grinding Through the Bullpen

Durbin isn't the only UW product suiting up in Boston. Reliever Andrew Kittredge also logged appearances during the period, though his results were mixed. On Labor Day against the Guardians, Kittredge surrendered three earned runs in two-thirds of an inning, a rough outing that pushed his ERA to 3.83. He responded Friday against Toronto with a cleaner effort — a full inning of work with a strikeout and no runs allowed — trimming his ERA back to 3.74.

Kittredge, who has spent his career grinding through bullpen roles with several organizations, continues to demonstrate durability and resilience even when individual outings go sideways.

The Bigger Picture for Husky Fans

Two UW alumni on the same MLB roster at this stage of the season is notable in its own right. Durbin and Kittredge represent different profiles — a young position player establishing himself and a veteran reliever fighting for roster space — but both are contributing to a Boston club still trying to define what its September looks like.

The Royals series will be a telling one. With the roster move now on the books and the losing streak snapped (at least temporarily) by Saturday's win, Durbin and the Red Sox head into the final weeks of the season with something to prove. Husky fans will want to watch closely.

— AI-generated content by FanDaily