The right hand Brandon Woodruff easily the most experienced arm of Milwaukee’s rotation mix after Freddy Peralta trade but health has been an ongoing problem in recent years. He appears to be out of camp this year after spending 2025 on the disabled list due to a strain. He spoke to reporters, including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, about his ascension and wouldn’t commit to being ready for Opening Day.
“I think it’s too early to say right now,” Woodruff said, when asked about the chances of him being ready for the season. “It’s up in the air right now. I know that word has been used a lot but, like I said, there’s one goal I have this year and that’s to be healthy … I want to be available at the end of the year when it’s most important. What it looks like early on may be a little different. Nothing is set in stone. All I know is that I threw 25 pitches, after speaking well today. I feel good here. It’s a good sign, so I’m going to continue to build on that and improve.”
Woodruff has been a mainstay in the club’s rotation for most of the 2019 to 2022 seasons but has been unreliable of late. Shoulder problems limited him to 11 starts in 2023 and eventually required surgery, ending his 2024 season. He was drafted out of IL in July and made 12 starts. His speed was a few ticks below his pre-surgery form but the results were still good. He allowed 3.20 earned runs per nine with a 32.3% strikeout rate and a 5.4% walk rate. He hit IL with a lat strain in September and missed the postseason.
Given the tumultuous nature of his last few years, it makes sense that he and the Brewers would take note and focus on the long term ahead as opposed to forcing the issue in late March. If Woodruff misses a few starters, they have plenty of depth to use right now.
Jacob Misiorowski again Quinn Priester probably have two spots closed. Chad Patrick again Logan Henderson they are strong candidates for the other two. DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, Brandon Sproat, Robert Gasser, Angel Zerpa, Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan, Coleman Crow again Carlos Rodríguez all listed. Some of those guys will end up in free agency but all can be optioned and can either be in the majors or in the Triple-A rotation or be moved between the two throughout the year.
That huge package of rotation options means the arm that isn’t in the lineup is favored Gerson Garabito it would be difficult to find a place on the list. That will not be his focus now, as he will have to prioritize his health for a while. Manager Pat Murphy recently told reporters, including Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that Garabito underwent surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot and will be out four months.
It’s a tough break for the righty, who is looking to make a comeback in league football. He signed with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization in June and posted a 2.64 ERA in 15 starts with that club. He made that point in reference to a minor league deal with the Brewers. He will need to recover from his surgery before he can push for a roster spot. His major league career consisted of 21 appearances with the Rangers with a 5.77 ERA.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
