Brewers make exciting, but risky, Brandon Woodruff World Series roster decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Milwaukee Brewers are facing off against the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 MLB World Series. It's sure to be a great series, and it begins Friday night in Milwaukee.
But before they could begin, the Brewers had a big decision to make with their World Series roster. When the Brewers announced their roster Friday morning, it featured a very notable name: Brandon Woodruff.
Woodruff's inclusion on the roster is a very exciting decision for Brewers fans, as the beloved right-hander is back from injury and might actually play a real role in this World Series. But his inclusion comes with a big risk.
Brewers make exciting and risky Brandon Woodruff decision on World Series roster
Woodruff was initially feared to have suffered a season-ending shoulder injury earlier this season. He was placed on the injured list and missed the rest of the regular season.
The two-time All-Star, who had a 2.98 ERA across nine starts with 47 strikeouts in 45.1 innings of work, missed the bulk of the 2026 MLB season.
But now, with the Brewers making the World Series, he's back on the roster and is easily one of the more exciting storylines to follow at this year's World Series.
Brewers fans should be excited to see Woodruff on the roster, but they should also be well aware of the risk that comes with such a decision.
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If Woodruff were to get hurt during the World Series and be forced to miss any time, the Brewers wouldn't be able to make a roster substitution based on the current understanding of MLB rules.
As The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported, "The Brewers' fear with Woodruff, according to club officials briefed on his situation, is that any injury he suffers might be viewed as recurring or pre-existing, making the team unable to add another pitcher in his place."
This decision from the Brewers was made even after knowing the risks, so they either feel confident that they'll be able to get a substitution, or that Woodruff is good enough to go and make a real impact on the team in the World Series.
It will be a storyline worth following along with closely during the World Series, as seeing how he's utilized and whether this risk comes into play or not could have a big impact on the outcome of this series.
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