The Milwaukee Brewers enter MLB games today ranked 23rd in quality starts (four) but sixth in rotation ERA (3.53) through 21 games this season. There’s hope on the horizon for those numbers to look even better with the looming return of Brandon Woodruff.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Brewers are expected to have Woodruff rejoin the rotation as early as the first week of May. Even if that timeline gets pushed back a bit, he should be part of Milwaukee’s major-league roster sometime next month.
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- Brandon Woodruff stats: 3.10 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 788-176 K-BB ratio in 680.1 innings pitched with the Milwaukee Brewers
Woodruff, who turned 32 in February, was last part of the Brewers rotation in 2023. The veteran southpaw was shut down for the 2023 season due to lingering shoulder issues, which later required surgery to repair a torn capsule. After undergoing a procedure in October of that year, he missed the entire 2024 MLB season.
Following shoulder surgery, Milwaukee signed the two-time All-Star pitcher to a two-year contract with a mutual option for a third season. He spent all of last year rehabbing from shoulder surgery before getting back on the mound in 2025.
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- Brandon Woodruff contract (Spotrac): $5 million salary in 2025, $20 million mutual option for 2026
Woodruff has already made two starts during his minor-league rehab assignment this season. He first pitched 4 innings at High-A Wisconsin, allowing 6 hits and 3 earned runs. He most recently made a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville, allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs in 3.2 innings on 66 pitches.
Milwaukee is also poised to get back starting pitcher Tobias Myers, who is closer to rejoining the Brewers rotation after suffering an oblique strain earlier in the year. Once Woodruff and Myers have returned, Milwaukee will have a stronger shot at making up ground on the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
