The Milwaukee Brewers thought Brandon Woodruff’s season was done. Now, the door has cracked back open.
After a shoulder issue in his throwing arm sent him to the injured list for the second time this year, the expectation was that the two-time All-Star would need another surgery and miss the rest of 2026. That outlook came after an MRI showed a tear in his shoulder and surgery was scheduled for later this summer.
But manager Pat Murphy delivered a much different update on Thursday. When Woodruff went in for a scan four weeks after landing on the injured list, the shoulder had actually healed more than doctors expected. Not fully, and not by a lot, but enough that his surgeon no longer recommends surgery.
Murphy didn’t rule out a return, either, though he kept expectations in check. When asked whether Woodruff could get back to the team this season, Murphy said, “I think there’s a low possibility, you know, but I think there’s a possibility, and why not go with it?”
Woodruff has made nine starts this year and is 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA.
If he does somehow make it back, the Brewers almost certainly won’t ask him to jump straight into a starting role. At this stage, workload management would be the priority, and there may not be enough time left in 2026 for him to build back up as a starter.
Still, even the idea of Woodruff emerging from the bullpen for an inning or two in the postseason is enough to turn heads. He is set to begin a throwing program next week, and the team will evaluate the next steps from there.
The Brewers are 80-49 and own the best record in baseball, and Woodruff’s injury story has suddenly taken a far more hopeful turn than anyone expected.
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