Brandon Woodruff’s latest injury compounded by impact to Brewers’ 2026 draft strategy

The Brandon Woodruff injury question has been a pertinent one for many years, though it's perhaps never been more disheartening than it is right now. The longtime ace of the Milwaukee Brewers has landed back on the injured list once again, this time with right shoulder inflammation, mere weeks after returning from a multi-month hiatus due to the same issue.

Shoulder injuries are nothing new for Woody; he missed the entire 2024 season due to an anterior capsular repair surgery, though thankfully this new bout with inflammation sounds less serious. But even if that proves true, it's become impossible to rely on him to make his scheduled starts.

Which is a particularly frustrating sentiment given just how darned good he still is when healthy. He came back from that surgery last year and compiled a 3.20 ERA and 3.17 FIP across starts, which he's one-upped this season with a 2.98 ERA and 3.20 FIP.

All of this begs the question: Did the Brewers make the right decision by bringing him back for 2026?

Brandon Woodruff inadvertently crushed Brewers' draft plans by returning for 2026

That the Brewers offered Woodruff a qualifying offer last offseason wasn't too much of a surprise -- as aforementioned, he was good when healthy, and losing a Milwaukee legend to free agency for nothing would not have been a good look after winning a franchise-record 97 games.

What was surprising was the right-hander's decision to accept the QO. He almost certainly could have secured a multi-year deal on the open market, albeit at a reduced annual value. Instead, he opted to stay with the only team he's ever known, and it may have actually hurt the Brewers in the long run.

You see, the idea was to let Woodruff walk and recoup a valuable draft pick and the associated bonus pool money once he signed elsewhere. As a revenue-sharing recipient, the Crew would have received a pick after the first (if Woodruff signed a deal in excess of $50 million in total) or second round (deal below $50 million) in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft.

Instead, the stalwart returned, and that draft compensation never came. As such, the front office had to work around Woodruff's $22.025 million salary, which obviously inhibited their spending in free agency. And now, they'll have to navigate a draft with the sixth-smallest bonus pool allotment ($8,042,900) and just two picks inside the top 100 (Nos. 25 and 66).

You could argue that trading the No. 67 overall pick (which is valued at $1,317,300) in the Caleb Durbin deal was reckless given that information, but I don't think anyone regrets acquiring Kyle Harrison. Instead, the Brewers simply need to accept the reality of their situation, while perhaps also hoping that Woodruff will beat the odds and make an impact in the postseason this year.

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