On the 4th of July, Brandon Woodruff threw what he and many thought would certainly be his last pitch of 2026 and potentially the last pitch of his entire career. Soon, it was revealed that doctors believed surgery would be required to again fix the shoulder capsule in his throwing arm. Two major shoulder surgeries in just over three years would have been devastating.
Then, a sudden turn of events. Woodruff initially held off on surgery and went in for his four-week follow-up in August to determine if surgery was ultimately necessary. But the doctors found that Woodruff’s shoulder was healing much faster and better than expected. They decided not only did Woodruff not need surgery, but that it was safe for him to begin a throwing program.
The window was going to be tight. Woodruff needed a five-week throwing progression just to get his arm ramped back up before he could even get on a mound and that would take him to the end the regular season. Then he would need to be cleared to throw off a mound, get some bullpen sessions in and then face live hitters.
The margin for error was zero. Any sort of delay or setback and the hopes of making it back to the field in time for this postseason were going to be dashed. Woodruff has had numerous setbacks and delays in his previous returns from shoulder injuries, so the odds seemed slim.
Woodruff told reporters prior to the NLDS that the earliest he could possibly return to the field would be the World Series, should the Brewers get there.
Now, here the Brewers are, their spot clinched in the World Series and Woodruff remaining on time and on schedule in his comeback.
In the NLCS clinching celebration, Woodruff told Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that “it’s gonna be hard to keep me off that roster.” He threw a high-intensity 31-pitch bullpen in Los Angeles and according to Woodruff the stuff looked good.
All along this process, it seemed clear that it would take an absolute perfect storm of circumstances to get Woodruff back in a game in 2026.
I think that perfect storm has come to fruition. Woodruff has made it through without any setbacks in his recovery, the Brewers have made their way to the World Series, and there are essentially available spots on the pitching staff. To this point in the postseason, Pat Murphy has not called upon Kyle Harrison nor Chad Patrick. Shane Drohan was in that group as well before he started Game 4 of the NLCS and lasted little longer than an inning.
Not long ago, it was hard to imagine Harrison and Patrick not playing important roles on this pitching staff in the postseason. Now, it’s hard to imagine the Brewers finding a spot for them to get in a game.
Murphy has consistently talked about how much Woodruff means to the organization, how much he’s done for the team, not only this year but over his whole career. For the Brewers to reach the World Series, to have Woodruff available for it would be poetic and perfect. Woodruff helped build the Brewers to get to this point, it’s only fair he would get a shot to pitch in the Crew’s first World Series in 44 years.
However, life isn’t always fair, especially in sports. The storybook ending doesn’t always happen. The Brewers have finally gotten to a World Series berth. The next one isn’t promised. They have one shot at this, and will the Brewers, a team that generally doesn’t take the biggest risks, risk putting a pitcher who hasn’t pitched in a game since July 4th, on the roster for the most important seven-game stretch in the organization’s history?
Provided facing hitters in live BP during the week leading up to the World Series goes well, I think they will. I think Woodruff will be put on this roster and he will pitch in the World Series for this organization. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Game 1 or Game 2 so he’s in front of the home crowd. Woodruff wants it, the organization wants it for him, and the stars appear to be aligning.
Woodruff has shown he can still get outs, even with diminished stuff. He doesn’t need to be fully stretched out, just getting an inning or two. The Brewers have two pitchers that have been unused all postseason, that makes it easier for them to switch Woodruff onto the roster in place of someone. For most players, there’d be the concern of if the stuff would be good enough for that important of a game to bring him off the IL for. For Woodruff though, he’s as trusted a big game pitcher the Brewers have.
Is there risk? Absolutely. Is it a risk the Brewers are willing to take? I think so. We won’t find out for sure until the roster drops on Friday morning.
What a story this season has been for the Brewers. Not only are they looking for the storybook ending with a World Series title, but to get Woodruff back on the mound and be a part of it, that would be poetic justice.