MILWAUKEE — The right lat injury that landed longtime Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff on the injured list on Sept. 21 (retroactive to Sept. 18) will keep him sidelined for the National League Division Series against the Cubs, but Woodruff and the club are keeping the door open for a return if Milwaukee is able to play deep into the postseason.
That announcement on the eve of Saturday’s Game 1 ended days of speculation about Woodruff’s bid, unlikely as it was, to make it back for the NLDS, since his stint on the 15-day IL technically expired on Friday.
“The longer you keep going, the better the chance,” said the 32-year-old Woodruff, who returned from nearly two years of rehabbing from right shoulder surgery to go 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts before the lat injury cut short his comeback season. “We’ll just have to cross that bridge when we get there.
“As far as right now, I’m focused on going in and taking care of myself, getting my treatment and doing all the necessary things I need to do to give myself a chance.”
Realistically, it’s a slim chance. The good news is that after Woodruff visited with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas, every indication is that his surgically repaired right shoulder is sound, and he has a solid long-term outlook for pitching beyond this season. The bad news for the Brewers’ immediate needs, not to mention Woodruff’s desire to be part of Milwaukee’s seventh postseason berth in the past eight seasons, is that he has yet to even start throwing again.
Instead, Woodruff has been receiving treatment for the lat strain, a process which has been described to him as akin to treating a strained hamstring. Manager Pat Murphy indicated that even the NL Championship Series “would be a little bit early” for Woodruff to pitch in such high-stakes games.
But at least there’s a chance. Two years ago, Woodruff sat on the same dais at American Family Field after the Brewers announced his 2023 season was over due to the shoulder injury and he wouldn’t be able to pitch in the postseason.
“Obviously, when you talk about somebody who means as much to our franchise as Brandon Woodruff, you want to see that all the way through,” Brewers GM Matt Arnold said. “So, certainly there’s an opportunity for him to potentially come back. We just don’t know what that is. It’s day to day. … What we do know is Woody is a tremendous competitor, and he wants to be a big part of it and he’s going to continue to work to be a part of this. And even if he’s not doing it on the field, he’s going to do it in the clubhouse, for sure.”
Whatever happens next, Woodruff is thankful for getting the chance to make his comeback with the Brewers. His backloaded two-year contract — inked when he was in the very early stages of his recovery from surgery — includes a $20 million mutual option for 2026 with a $10 million buyout.
“I sat here, gosh, what was it, two years ago at this time? Honestly, I didn’t know if I was coming back,” he said. “It was a long road, but it was weird, I knew I had to pitch in this uniform again. …
“Gosh, it’s been 11 years with this organization, and getting to be a part of essentially the best era of Brewers baseball, it’s been a blast. As far as the future, I don’t know what that will entail, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to come back here. My son was born here last year. I’ve got so many roots dug here in Milwaukee, and not just the people in the clubhouse but people outside of the baseball field I’ve gotten to know. It’s home, for sure. It’s my second home. So I needed to throw on this uniform again.”
