Brewers 11, Rangers 4: A Cactus League Clash in the Heat
On a scorching 100-degree night in Phoenix, the Brewers put on a show, cruising past the Rangers with an 11-4 victory. The highlight of the night was a seven-run explosion in the third inning, capped off by a homer from Christian Yelich. Earlier, Luis Rengifo and Gary Sanchez set the tone with back-to-back homers in the second inning.
The spotlight, however, was on Brandon Woodruff. In his final Cactus League tune-up, Woodruff pitched three innings, allowing three runs, including a pair of back-to-back homers in his last inning. Despite the hiccup, he managed to start the fourth inning, marking four "ups" in his outing.
Reflecting on his performance, Woodruff noted, "The first three innings felt solid. I had to work a bit in the third but managed to make some pitches.
The fourth inning is all part of building up. It’s tough getting the pitch count up and working through those longer innings."
Woodruff struck out four, but his velocity dipped in the fourth, with fastballs clocking in at 88.6 and 88.8 mph. Despite this, he expressed confidence in his physical condition.
"I feel good physically, which is important," he said. "This is all about preparation for the regular season."
Typically sitting between 92 and 93 mph this spring, Woodruff hinted there's more in the tank. "Is there 100 in there?
I don’t know. I’ve only hit it once in my life.
But there’s definitely more. Spring training doesn’t quite get the blood pumping like a big league game with a packed stadium."
The big question now is when Woodruff will take the mound again. He’s healthy and ready, potentially eyeing a big-league outing next. His schedule aligns with Opening Day on March 26, but the Brewers are keeping their cards close to the chest regarding the starting pitcher for that game.
"It’s probably a game-time decision in the next few days," Woodruff shared. "I’ll see how I feel tomorrow."
With spring training winding down, all eyes are on how the Brewers will set the stage for the upcoming season.