The Milwaukee Brewers are off to a slower start this season than expected. Even after trading Freddy Peralta, they are expected to be a contender this season. They are 15-14 and sit just four games out of first place in the National League Central, so it’s certainly too early for them to panic, but another issue has arisen that is worth paying attention to
“Brandon Woodruff exited his start for Milwaukee in the second inning,” Jeff Passan posted on X. His fastball didn’t even reach 87 mph after sitting at 92.5 all year. Tough luck for the Brewers, though they do plenty of starting-pitching depth, with Logan Henderson carving at Triple-A and big league-ready.”
Brandon Woodruff’s Exit Could Spell Trouble for Brewers
The Brewers have been without Quinn Priester the whole season, though he is making his way back and could be off the injured list soon, so that could give the Brewers some more depth in their starting rotation.
However, Brandon Woodruff has been their ace this season. They were counting on him to pick up the slack after Peralta was traded to the New York Mets. But in all likelihood, Woodruff will land on the injured list.
If his fastball velocity is truly that far down from where it was earlier this year, then this is not a good sign for Woodruff or the Brewers. Milwaukee’s starting rotation has posted a 3.74 ERA, so it has been a strength. But while they do have Henderson for depth, that depth might run a little thin sooner or later.
Depending on what the injury is, it might take a little time for Woodruff to return to action. Following his exit, the Brewers replaced Woodruff with right-hander Grant Anderson, who completed the second inning.
Assuming Woodruff is out for a long time, the Brewers might need to go pick up a starting pitcher or two at the trade deadline. The depth is there, but without Woodruff, the quality is somewhat lacking behind Jacob Misiorowski.
They’ll need him to step up and serve as the ace for the time being. Losing Woodruff certainly is not ideal if that is ultimately what happens. His diminished velocity certainly isn’t a good sign and doesn’t exactly bode well for avoiding a stint on the injured list, but the Brewers will have to get healthy if they want to avoid falling out of contention. The roster is still talented, but the pitching staff may have just taken a big hit.
NL Central Race Creates Difficult Road for Brewers
The National League Central has been the toughest division in all of Major League Baseball so far this season. As of Thursday, all teams in the division have a record of .500 or better, and only two teams in the American League would not be in last place if they were in the NL Central.
That’s going to make things harder for the Brewers, and if Woodruff misses any time, they could potentially take a step back in the standings and miss a chance to gain ground on the top three teams.
This could lead to them being buried in the central relatively soon.
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