Brandon Woodruff’s attempt to return to the MLB rotation has hit another snag. The Brewers announced Thursday afternoon that the veteran starter suffered a right elbow contusion during yesterday’s rehab start at Triple-A Nashville. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports that the team expects the injury to sideline Woodruff for a few weeks. He has been pulled off his rehab assignment.
Last night’s start was supposed to be Woodruff’s final minor league tune-up. He was on track to be reinstated from the injured list next week. He was drilled on his throwing elbow by a comebacker that left the hitter’s bat at 108 MPH. X-rays didn’t reveal any fractures, but it’s a painful and frustrating setback when he was so close to getting back to American Family Field.
Woodruff has been out since the end of the 2023 campaign recovering from shoulder surgery. He missed the entire ’24 season and took things slowly in Spring Training this year. Milwaukee sent him on an initial rehab stint in the middle of April. He was pulled back a few weeks later due to minor ankle tendinitis. He began a new assignment 10 days later and was in his third start of the second stint yesterday. There’s at least nothing structurally at issue. Still, it’s going to keep him out for another few weeks and might necessitate another rehab start or two.
MLBTR’s Steve Adams wrote about the Milwaukee rotation last week, observing that it’s a stronger group than some might assume based on its early-season patchwork nature. That was based partially on Woodruff’s expected imminent return. They recently welcomed Jose Quintana back from injury. That rounds out a starting five that also includes Freddy Peralta, Quinn Priester, Aaron Civale and Chad Patrick. The 26-year-old Patrick has had an impressive rookie season but was a candidate to be optioned to Triple-A once Woodruff returned. (He and Priester are the only two of the five who can be sent down.) Barring injury, they’ll presumably stick with that rotation for the next couple weeks.
That’s too bad.. I bet the Brewers will probably resign him to a similar contract structure like Hoskins I
There’s a $20M ’26 mutual option. If he comes back strong, Woodruff will decline it.
If you mean coming back strong and throwing 98 mph, that’s not going to happen. Woodruff is adjusting to life as a 30-something pitcher by trying to get outs at a lower velocity, so don’t assume he’ll be ace material. The Brewers are looking to assemble a young rotation and have most of the pieces if you include Robert Gasser, so Woody’s future is totally up in the air. There’s a lot of loyalty on both sides, so Woody will be given every opportunity to showcase himself when he”s finally healthy.
I cannot possibly imagine how good he would have to pitch in that short amount of time he will have if/when he starts pitching big league innings again for the Brewers to commit to 20 mil for 2026.
After collecting all that money last year and in ’25, he’d be a latter day Paul Molitor, if he leaves
That was always a risky move and I was astounded that it was for that much money in the first place. The historical data on this injury shows recovery odds are… quite bad.
He’s not coming back. The Brewers have a surplus of starting pitching already here and coming up from the minors. Theres no space for him.
Ice-T voice: “an elbow contusion….” if I said the actual quote(s) I’d be banned/moderated.
IYKYK
If it wasn’t for bad luck this guy probably wouldn’t have any luck at all. Getting hit in the elbow with a liner on your last rehab start? That’s just cruel.
Oof. Sad but true.
Last rehab start was the rumor but was that ever confirmed? He doesnt have his velo yet and may never get that back. Him coming back also would have meant sending down a few pitchers that are performing extremely well. With this setback, I bet we arent talking about him until the All Star Break.
At least it will give him more time and opportunity to to sit with the announcers and allow him to tell stories. He was darn good at it the other week when he joined the telecast