Getty Brandon Woodruff
The Milwaukee Brewers have re-signed pitcher Brandon Woodruff on a two-year deal, according to NY Post’s Jon Heyman. Having undergone right shoulder surgery to repair his anterior capsule in October 2023, the two-time All-Star is expected to miss most or all of the 2024 season.
This will be Woodruff’s eighth major-league season with the Brewers, having been drafted by the team in the 11th round of the 2014 Draft and making his MLB debut in 2017. He holds the franchise record for the best ERA for pitchers throwing at least 500 innings, having posted a 3.10 ERA in 130 career appearances (115 starts). Since his debut, only seven MLB pitchers (minimum 600 innings pitched) have a lower ERA.
Breaking: Brandon Woodruff back to Brewers. 2 year deal.
In 2023 with the Brewers, Woodruff went 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts in 11 starts. On September 11, he pitched the first complete-game shutout of his career in a 12-0 win against the Miami Marlins. Woodruff was non-tendered by the Brewers at the end of the 2023 season, becoming a free agent.
Will Woodruff Pitch in 2024?
Just two starts ofter his complete-game shutout in September, 2023, Woodruff’s velocity had noticeably declined, and he missed his next scheduled start. He was then slated to start against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series, but the Brewers announced he wouldn’t be taking the ball.
On October 13, the Brewers announced that Woodruff had undergone right shoulder surgery to repair his anterior capsule, expecting him to miss most, if not all, of the 2024 season.
Barring a stunning and miraculous recovery in the next few months, Woodruff won’t be available to pitch in 2024. He will rehab with the team’s medical and athletic training staff, eyeing a return to the rotation in 2025.
Brewers’ Starting Rotation
Going into 2024, the Brewers’ starting rotation will look quite different than it did last season, starting with the team’s ace.
On February 1, Milwaukee traded Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for reliever DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz, and a compensatory draft pick. While the move happened quickly, it wasn’t entirely shocking, especially since 2024 is Burnes’ last year until club control and getting his $15.6 million salary off the books gave the team a lot of flexibility this winter.
With Burnes out of the rotation, Freddy Peralta is the Brewers’ de facto ace. He’ll be joined by Wade Miley and Colin Rea, both of whom signed new one-year deals this winter to stay in Milwaukee, and recently-added Jakob Junis and Joe Ross will fill the final spots in the rotation. Hall will also be floating around to add depth, with the lefty hoping to earn a rotation spot this season.
Looking ahead to 2025, Woodruff will likely slot back into the rotation with at least one existing starter leaving. While this year is the final guaranteed season on Peralta’s contract, his $8 million club options for both 2025 and 2026 are very likely to be taken up, barring an injury. Junis and Miley both have mutual options for the 2025 season, and at least one of the two will likely exit to free agency. Rea’s deal includes a club option for next season, but he has a lot to prove this year if he wants to stay in Milwaukee.