4 Brewers pitchers who can fill Brandon Woodruff's rotation spot as IL stint begins

Though the Milwaukee Brewers brought home a 13-1 victory and secured a series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon, a dark cloud hung over the celebration at American Family Field. Thursday's starter, Brandon Woodruff, left the game with one out in the second inning after showing a concerning dip in velocity through his first 21 pitches.

Woodruff and Brewers' manager Pat Murphy described the velocity anomaly as simply a "dead arm," suggesting that there was no injury to be concerned about. With Woodruff already undergoing an MRI after the game, the Brewers' veteran starter was unable to comment further on what occurred in Thursday's matinee.

However, while there may or may not be an injury to Woodruff's right arm, it appeared likely that the 33-year-old pitcher would be headed to the IL regardless. A "dead arm" is still something to be concerned about, and pushing through any fatigue in May could lead to more significant injuries down the road.

Just moments ago, the Brewers confirmed this belief and officially placed Woodruff on the 15-day IL with "right shoulder inflammation." The Brewers have recalled reliever Easton McGee from Triple-A to fill the vacant roster spot.

While McGee grabs the open roster spot for the time being, the Brewers will have to figure out how to fill Woodruff's spot in the rotation when his turn arrives again. Woodruff's next start would have taken place against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, so the Brewers will have to come up with a solution before then. With Quinn Priester, who is currently on a rehab assignment, unlikely to be ready by next Tuesday, here are the four leading candidates who could fill the empty rotation spot.

4 players who could fill Brandon Woodruff's spot in the Brewers' rotation as the veteran starter's IL stint begins

1. RHP Logan Henderson

After he experienced some elbow soreness in Spring Training, the Brewers understandably decided to take things slow with right-hander Logan Henderson at the start of the 2026 season. Though Henderson did make one, two-inning appearance for the Brewers on April 4, most of his work this year has come as a starter in Triple-A. However, up until this past Sunday, Henderson hadn't exceeded 3.1 innings in a single outing this year.

On Sunday, technically pitching in relief after Priester's rehab outing, Henderson tossed 67 pitches, covered five innings, and compiled an impressive nine strikeouts in his best outing of the season. Henderson's 1.02 ERA in his first 17.2 Triple-A innings this year suggests that he's ready for another crack at the big leagues, and with an open rotation spot, this could be his chance.

2. RHP Coleman Crow

25-year-old Coleman Crow made his MLB debut with the Brewers back on April 17 and tossed a 5.2-inning gem against the Miami Marlins during which he showcased his MLB-ready arsenal. However, the Brewers needed Crow for a spot start, and regardless of how well he pitched, he was always going to be sent back down to Triple-A on the following day.

Since his return to the Nashville Sounds' rotation after his brief major league stint, Crow has made two appearances, and they couldn't have been more different. He allowed eight earned runs in 3.2 innings back on April 24, surrendering three homers in the process, before turning around and tossing 5.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts last night. Regular rest would allow Crow to be ready to go when Woodruff's next start would have occurred, so perhaps he will get his next big-league opportunity in the coming days.

3. LHP Robert Gasser

Left-hander Robert Gasser, who is now roughly 23 months removed from the Tommy John surgery that he endured in the summer of 2024, was a candidate to make the Brewers' starting rotation out of Spring Training this year. However, after ultimately landing in Triple-A to start the season and dealing with some muscle soreness in his throwing arm, the talented southpaw is still building up and consequently hasn't yet made an appearance for the big-league squad.

Since his early-season soreness, Gasser has been limited to shorter outings, but he's slowly working his way back up to a starter's workload. After throwing 32 pitches on April 25, Gasser tossed 58 pitches in yesterday's game. He's allowed just two total earned runs in those last two outings while striking out seven hitters in 4.2 innings. He may not yet be ready to handle four or five innings, but with major league experience, Gasser could certainly give the Brewers a short start or two in Woodruff's stead.

4. LHP Shane Drohan

Unlike the other three names on this list, Shane Drohan is currently on the Brewers' major league roster. The left-handed Drohan is serving as a versatile relief option at the moment, but has been a starter throughout his career and is expected to eventually fall back into that role down the line.

Drohan did make one big-league start at Fenway Park earlier this year, and though it didn't go great -- three earned runs in 2.2 innings -- he's followed it up with some impressive work out of the bullpen. After Woodruff exited Thursday's game, it was Drohan who assumed the bulk pitcher role, covering four innings and allowing just one run in the process. He certainly has the arsenal to jump back into the starting rotation, but has also shown impressive upside out of the 'pen.

The Brewers are unlikely to make a decision until next week, as such a move would simply limit the amount of arms they have in their bullpen. Having McGee as an extra relief option will help the Brew Crew in their series against the Washington Nationals, but expect a move regarding the starting rotation to come shortly before Tuesday's game in St. Louis.

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