Wisconsin-Milwaukee Professional Athletes

Two Wisconsin-Milwaukee alumni found themselves at the center of Houston's Wild Card Series against the Chicago White Sox — one delivering a marquee postseason moment, the other watching from the injured list after a wrist procedure that closed out his season early.

Blubaugh Takes the Wild Card Stage

AJ Blubaugh, who logged more bullpen innings than any pitcher in MLB during the regular season, got the unconventional starting nod for the Astros in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, September 29. It was a signal of just how much Houston valued his reliability under pressure — and how roster-depleted this Astros squad has been.

Blubaugh worked 0.2 innings in Game 1, then returned in Game 2 on Wednesday, September 30, tossing 1.1 frames and punching out two batters. The appearances were brief, but the visibility was anything but — getting the ball in a playoff opener, even in an opener role, is the kind of moment Milwaukee alumni can point to. His journey from bulk reliever to postseason contributor is a legitimate story, even if the Astros ultimately fell short against the White Sox.

Varsho's Season Ends on the IL

The same Wild Card Series played out without Daulton Varsho in center field. The Astros announced that Varsho underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist, sidelining him for the remainder of the year and keeping him off the Wild Card roster entirely. The issue had been building for weeks — a pair of cysts in his wrist grew increasingly uncomfortable as the season wound down, eventually forcing the procedure.

Varsho's 2026 offensive numbers were a step back from expectations, though his elite defensive reputation in center field remained intact. The timing of the surgery, landing right at the start of the postseason, ensured his year ended on a frustrating note.

What's Next for the UW-Milwaukee Duo

With the Astros eliminated, both alumni enter uncertain offseasons. Varsho is a free agent coming off a down offensive year and a surgical procedure — not the ideal negotiating position — but a Sports Illustrated analysis argued Houston has reason to bring him back given his glove and the thin free-agent market at the position.

Blubaugh's postseason exposure could raise his profile heading into contract talks of his own. Pitchers who can eat innings out of the bullpen and hold up in October have real value, and his Wild Card appearances put that durability on a national stage.

Two Panthers, one playoff series, two very different storylines — but both with futures worth watching.

Daulton Varsho's Wrist Puts 2026 Season on the Line

Wisconsin-Milwaukee's most prominent MLB alumnus may have played his last game of 2026. The Houston Astros placed outfielder Daulton Varsho on the 10-day injured list on September 25, retroactive to September 23, with left wrist inflammation — an injury that had already kept him out for an extended stretch heading into the move.

With the regular season winding down and postseason rosters carrying their own roster calculus, the timing couldn't be worse. The Astros selected outfielder Jorge Barrosa to fill Varsho's spot on the active roster and designated right-hander Jason Alexander for assignment to clear a 40-man spot. The roster shuffling underscores that Houston isn't treating this as a short-term absence. Left wrist inflammation for a left-handed hitter carries obvious offensive implications — and with the season's final week already underway, there's no guarantee Varsho returns before the calendar flips.

Varsho, a center fielder acquired by the Astros, had been absent from the lineup in the days leading up to the IL move, making the formalization of his injury status less a surprise than a confirmation of what observers had already suspected.

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A.J. Blubaugh Pitches Through the Stretch

While Varsho watches from the IL, fellow UWM alum A.J. Blubaugh has been one of the more active Astros arms down the stretch. The right-hander appeared in three games during the September 20–26 window, picking up late-inning work as Houston navigated a critical stretch of its schedule.

Blubaugh threw two innings against the Mariners on September 24, striking out one batter and keeping his ERA at 3.59 — solid work in a middle-relief role. He followed that up with a scoreless one-inning outing on September 23 in another Houston-Seattle matchup. The week wasn't without a hiccup: on September 26 against the Athletics, Blubaugh allowed one earned run in two-thirds of an inning, nudging his ERA up to 3.66. Still, an ERA sitting just below that mark heading into the final days of the regular season represents a respectable season for the former Panther.

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The Bigger Picture

For UWM fans, this week is a study in contrasts. Blubaugh is grinding through meaningful September innings on a contending roster. Varsho, by far the most decorated alumnus in the big leagues, is on the shelf at the worst possible time — and the question of whether his 2026 season is effectively over hangs over the next several days.

The Astros have given no public timetable for Varsho's return, and with a 10-day IL stint backdated to September 23, his earliest eligibility lands just ahead of the regular season's final weekend. Whether Houston would rush a player back from wrist inflammation with postseason positioning already locked in — or still in play — remains to be seen. For now, one UWM alum is keeping the flag flying in Houston while the other waits out a frustrating finish to his year.