If we're being honest, the legacy of Jake Woodford isn't likely to resonate with either the Milwaukee Brewers or the Tampa Bay Rays this season.
And yet, the right-hander is guaranteed to be part of a World Series champion, having pitched for both squads this year.
Woodford appeared in just one game for the Rays, throwing 1⅓ innings and allowing three earned runs, but that actually happened after the Rays traded Woodford to the Brewers shortly before the season.
Let's explain:
Facing a shortage of arms, the Brewers sent minor-leaguer K.C. Hunt to Tampa Bay in late March for Woodford, who's been in the big leagues since 2020. He appeared in 16 games for Milwaukee, with an ugly 6.94 ERA before the Brewers cut ties.
After spending time with the Chicago Cubs – he pitched in two games and allowed three earned runs in three innings – the 29-year-old re-signed with the Rays. He appeared in one game in September against the New York Yankees, and he was granted free agency again after the season.
Despite pitching in at least one game in all seven months of the season, Woodford worked only 27⅔ innings this year, posting a 7.81 ERA.
He'll turn 30 years old on Oct. 28, the same day as Game 5 of the World Series between two of his 2026 clubs.
Here's who else you perhaps forgot about who contributed to the 2026 Brewers. These are the players who didn't appear on the playoff roster:
Top contributors
- Brandon Sproat, RHP: Acquired in the deal that sent Freddy Peralta to the Mets, he finished with a 5.57 ERA in 22 appearances (19 starts), but he did strike out 101 batters in 97 innings and showed flashes of what made him such a high-end prospect. He finished the year in the Brewers minor-league system.
- Brandon Woodruff, RHP: The big question is whether Woodruff will indeed be healthy enough to pitch in the World Series after a recurrence of shoulder discomfort that knocked him out for the season in early May. The Brewers legend still had a 2.98 ERA in nine starts this year as he battled back from shoulder surgery. He took the one-year qualifying offer before the season.
- Grant Anderson, RHP: The third-year Brewers reliever had a 3.36 ERA in 52 games this year and remains a viable option for the World Series roster. He closed the regular season on the injured list.
- Luis Rengifo, 3B: The preseason signing didn't work out, posting a .534 OPS in 57 games before the Brewers cut ties. He latched on with the San Diego Padres, famously hitting a grand slam against his old team, but his season was cut short by an ugly ACL tear in the middle of a game.
- Brandon Lockridge, OF: The speedy and reliable defender was injured sliding into an outfield wall, limiting him to 39 big-league games this year. He had a .675 OPS and remains with the Brewers. He was acquired at the deadline in 2025 from the Padres.
- Blake Perkins, OF: A Brewer since 2023, Perkins struggled to a .508 OPS this year in 101 plate appearances, then was traded to the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline in the package to get Bo Naylor. He ended the season in the minors.
Played a fairly prominent role
- Bryse Wilson, RHP: Wilson was pitching for the Cubs against the Brewers in a Chicago win earlier this year, but he returned to Milwaukee (having spent 2023 and 2024 with the Brewers) and had a 3.51 ERA in 13 games. He peppered the strike zone, too. In 25⅔ innings, he walked just one batter. He's still with the team.
- Craig Yoho, RHP: Traded to the Guardians at the deadline for catcher Bo Naylor, Yoho had a 3.15 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20 innings with the Brewers, but the changeup specialist couldn't quite get a permanent foothold at the big-league level.
- Garrett Stallings, RHP: Stallings made his big-league debut this year and was so good (zero earned runs in 14 innings) that it was worth asking if he had chiseled out a spot on the playoff roster. He's still in the organization.
- Joel Kuhnel, RHP: Kuhnel had a 6.52 ERA but he also escaped some serious jams when the team beat the Cincinnati Reds in a series midway through the year. He was acquired from the Athletics, got hurt, spent a significant chunk of time at AAA and finished the year with the San Francisco Giants.
- Bo Naylor, C: Acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline for Perkins and Yoho, Naylor arrived in September and had a .679 OPS, with one home run in eight plate appearances. With Nashville, he had a solid .903 OPS in 60 at-bats.
- Angel Zerpa, LHP: Acquired before the season from the Royals for Nick Mears and Isaac Collins, Zerpa had a 6.39 ERA in 12 games and then needed Tommy John surgery, putting his time with Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic under the microscope. He's still with the Brewers, but he'll be a free agent this offseason.
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Don't forget these guys
- Tyler Black, DH: Black's prospect shine has dimmed, but he had a decent season at AAA and had an .839 OPS in nine games with the big-league club this year.
- Jared Koenig, LHP: A fixture in the Brewers bullpen in 2024 and 2025, injuries and ineffectiveness limited him to just seven innings this year (9.00 ERA). He did have a 2.21 ERA in 20⅓ minor-league innings this year.
- Coleman Crow, RHP: Called upon to make some gutsy big-league outings this year, Crow may have only a 5.30 ERA at the MLB level, but he's part of the team's future as well. He finished the year in the Class AAA rotation.
- Brian Fitzpatrick, LHP: He made his MLB debut and looked excellent, allowing just one earned run in 6⅔ innings, but he left a game in serious pain after tearing his UCL, leading to Tommy John surgery and short-circuiting what could have been one of the season's best stories.
- Carlos Rodriguez, RHP: There's still time for the 24-year-old to find a place, whether with this organization or another, but he's no longer on Milwaukee's 40-man roster. He had a 3.86 ERA this year in 9⅓ innings, but he struggled in the minors (8.60 ERA at AAA).
- Drew Rom, RHP: He allowed two earned runs in 5⅔ innings (not to mention a 1.94 ERA in 35 AAA games this year), but he was designated for assignment and then selected off waivers by the Athletics, where he finished the season.
- Colton Gordon, LHP: Acquired midseason from the Houston Astros, Gordon spent the majority of the season at Nashville but did get into one game, allowing two earned runs in five innings.
- Lance McCullers, RHP: A two-time World Series champion and Astros staple, he was a name acquisition in July when the Brewers acquired him and Gordon for minor-leaguer Jadyn Fielder (Prince's son). But he only threw 4⅔ innings, allowed two earned runs and then got released 11 days after the trade. He didn't finish the season with another MLB franchise.
- Thomas Pannone, LHP: The 32-year-old journeyman made his first big-league appearance since 2023 – also with the Brewers – and allowed two earned runs in three innings. His big season highlight came at AAA, where he threw a perfect game for the Nashville Sounds.
- Easton McGee, RHP: He spent time with the Brewers in 2025 but only pitched in two games for the team this year (allowing zero runs in two innings). He finished the year with the Royals organization.
- Lyon Richardson, RHP: He appeared in only one game (1⅔ innings) and had a 4.44 ERA in the minors in 40 games, with a little more than half of those in Nashville after the Brewers signed him as a minor-league free agent in June.
- Greg Jones, OF: He didn't fare well in 12 games, with a .174 OPS in 24 plate appearances (two hits), and he finished the year in the minor leagues with the Cubs.
- Luis Matos, OF: Acquired from the Giants for cash considerations in late March, he had a .438 OPS in 21 plate appearances, then played 67 games with Nashville and had a .662 OPS over the rest of the season. He finished in the Brewers organization.
- Jonathan Ornelas, IF: With the Brewers in a pinch and needing an infielder, they acquired Ornelas from the Athletics in August, and he re-signed as a free agent once the Brewers designated him for assignment. He's been with the team this postseason, even though he only had nine plate appearances (two hits) during the MLB season.
- Jeferson Quero, C: The highly regarded prospect arrived early in the season after Andrew Vaughn fractured his hamate bone on Opening Day. Quero made his big-league debut but nothing else, getting two plate appearances before returning to the minors, where he spent the rest of the season in Nashville (.712 OPS in 2026).
- Braden Shewmake, IF: Acquired in July with the Brewers in need of infield help, he only had eight plate appearances, with two hits. He then re-joined the Astros and finished the year in the minors.
- Jihwan Bae, IF: Also an acquisition of need after he was released by the Mets, Bae made just four plate appearances.
Players who spent the majority of the year on the 40-man roster but never appeared in a game
- Quinn Priester, RHP: A revelation in 2025, he was sidelined all season and underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
- Akil Baddoo, OF: Injuries kept him from getting a spot out of the gate on the active roster and maybe in the minors as well, but the big-league veteran wound up spending the whole year in Nashville.
- Rob Zastryzny, LHP: Injuries kept him sidelined or in the minors all year; he had a 2.45 ERA in 22 innings last year in Milwaukee. He was designated for assignment in September.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: List of all 2026 Brewers includes a guaranteed World Series winner
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