Brewers Spring Training update: Woodruff's return, promo schedule, Murphy's message

Wednesday was a busy day for the Milwaukee Brewers down in Arizona. Though technically only pitchers and catchers were scheduled to report for Spring Training yesterday, many of the Brewers' position players have already arrived at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

The Brewers' exceptional social media team captured a video of Jackson Chourio taking batting practice, relaying the sound of the crack of the bat to Brewers fans in desperate need of some semblance of spring. The snap of a ball hitting a glove is certainly a better indication that spring is near than the predictions of some groundhog in Pennsylvania.

A reminder of Chourio's lightning-quick hands wasn't the only news that surfaced in Brewers world yesterday. As Spring Training kicks off, Brewers fans were rewarded with a schedule of giveaways that is sure to excite. Additionally, second baseman Brice Turang appeared on MLB Network and reiterated what his manager's message is heading into the 2026 season. Let's break it all down.

After a late-season injury in 2025, Brandon Woodruff shown pitching a bullpen on Day 1 of Spring Training

The first video that Brewers fans were treated to from the team's social media team was a clip of veteran starter Brandon Woodruff getting in a bullpen session. Given the fact that Woody finished the 2025 season on the IL, it was an encouraging sight for Brewers fans to see their potential Opening Day starter off to a strong start in Spring Training.

Woodruff's mid-September placement on the IL was due to a right lat strain, which was reportedly unrelated to the major shoulder surgery that kept Woody off a big-league mound for a year and a half. The injury was never expected to impact the now-33-year-old's 2026 season, but given his recent history, it was fair for fans to be at least cautious in their predictions for Big Woo. That caution should still exist, after all it's just one day of Spring Training, but all signs indicate that Woodruff had a normal offseason that allowed him to return for the 2026 season with his arm in good shape.

With a lack of experience in their starting rotation, the Brewers need a strong season from the veteran Woodruff in 2026, and that starts with him staying healthy. After consecutive offseasons consisting of strenuous rehab processes, Woody's "normal" offseason this year should help him stay on the bump for the Brew Crew in 2026.

Brewers announce 2026 promotional schedule including three bobbleheads and a very popular bar dice set

As if videos of Big Woo and Chourio weren't enough to get Brewers fans excited, the team also released their promotional schedule yesterday. A list of the full lineup of giveaways is available over at Brewers.com and linked below for your convenience.

Featured Giveaways

Bobbleheads are often among the most popular giveaways, and this year the Brewers have absolutely knocked it out of the park. Featuring a new "trading card" style, Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, and William Contreras will all receive bobbleheads this year. Miz's bobblehead fittingly includes a flame, and Contreras' pays homage to his phone call celebration from last year. However, my favorite is the Woodruff bobblehead, which captures the moment that Big Woo homered off Clayton Kershaw in the 2018 NLCS. In an era where pitchers no longer bat, a bobblehead of Woodruff with a helmet on and a bat in his hand is sure to instantly become a collector's item.

Outside of the bobbleheads, one of the more popular items on the list of giveaways is a bar dice set that will be handed out to the first 25,000 fans (21 years old and up) on August 8. A windbreaker, replica Hank Aaron jersey, and Oktoberfest Alpine hat highlight the apparel that the Brewers will give out to fans this year.

Brice Turang details Pat Murphy's consistent message to his team ahead of 2026 Spring Training

Yesterday morning, the Brewers' Platinum Glove second baseman, Brice Turang, appeared on MLB Network to talk with Matt Vasgersian, Lauren Shehadi, and Harold Reynolds about his offseason, the upcoming World Baseball Classic, and what the mentality is for the Brewers heading into the 2026 campaign. MLB Network's social media team posted the following clip of Turang's interview on X.

When asked about the vibe in Brewers' camp so far and what his manager is tasking his team with this year, Turang noted that the message from Murph remains the same. He doesn't want his players to try to be anyone they're not, but rather just to stay hungry and competitive, and be locked in to every pitch.

It's a message that Murphy has held throughout his time as the Brewers' manager. He's constantly telling his players to embrace who they are and have confidence that they belong in the big leagues. The mentality has helped young players like Turang and Chourio remain confident through early career struggles and helped veterans like Andrew Vaughn regain their confidence after their careers have stalled.