Jake Woodford’s latest stop in the NL Central ended almost as quickly as it began.
After the Chicago Cubs designated the former St. Louis Cardinals first-round pick for assignment, Woodford cleared waivers and has elected free agency, according to the report. That leaves him looking for his next opportunity after a 2026 season that has already included a rough stint with the Milwaukee Brewers and an even shorter run with the Cubs.
Woodford opened the year in Milwaukee, but the Brewers moved on after he logged just 23.1 innings and posted a 6.94 ERA. Chicago then took a shot on the right-hander, only to see him make one appearance before getting DFA’d again. In that lone outing, he allowed three runs.
For a pitcher who once seemed like a familiar spring training storyline in St. Louis, the pattern has been hard to shake. Woodford spent four years with the Cardinals and finished that stretch with a 4.29 ERA and 4.94 FIP over 184.2 innings before being released.
Since then, he’s bounced around the Central divisions, turning up with the White Sox, Pirates, Brewers and Cubs, with a brief stop in Arizona mixed in as well. The source even floated the Reds as a possible next landing spot.
What’s made Woodford such a tough evaluation for clubs is clear enough: teams have kept betting on his control and his deep mix of pitches, but nobody has found the right formula to unlock him. Milwaukee didn’t get it done, and Chicago may have delivered the harshest verdict yet.
The Cubs are dealing with the most injured pitching staff in baseball, with 12 arms on the injured list, including seven relievers. Even with that kind of churn, there’s still a premium on anyone who can take the ball and hold up. Woodford didn’t do enough to stay.
His MLB career isn’t necessarily finished, and a minor-league deal seems like the most realistic next step. But after these latest quick exits in Milwaukee and Chicago, the dream of proving the Cardinals wrong looks a lot dimmer.
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