How should the Brewers approach Brandon Woodruff's return?

Milwaukee Brewers fans rejoiced in February 2024 when the team decided to bring back fan favorite Brandon Woodruff on a two-year deal, despite knowing that Woody would likely miss the entirety of the 2024 season. Now, a year and some change later, Woodruff is set to make his third rehab start tonight, pitching for the Brewers Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds.

From 2019-2023, Woodruff made 103 starts for the Brewers, posted an ERA of 2.93, and was a two-time All-Star. During this stretch, he struck out an incredible 709 opposing batters in 595 innings. Now, after more than a year since his last major league start, Woodruff is tantalizingly close to his return. But while Woodruff must be itching to get back on a big-league mound, the Brewers should continue to exercise the caution that they have throughout his recovery even after he returns to the major league roster.

Brewers should "piggyback" starting pitchers to ease Woodruff back into the rotation

When Woodruff returns to the Brewers' rotation, likely sometime in the next few weeks, the team’s rotation alongside him will hopefully consist of Freddy Peralta, José Quintana, Tobias Myers, and either Quinn Priester or Chad Patrick. There's a chance that the Brewers opt for a six-man rotation once Woodruff returns, but with three off-days during the month of May, it's more likely that the team goes with the conventional five-man rotation.

However, Woodruff's return after his long absence from MLB should be met with caution. Up to this point, the team has not rushed his rehab process, despite Woody continuously noting how excited he is to get back on the big-league roster. That cautious approach should continue with his usage in his first few outings.

To ease Woodruff back into his spot in the rotation, the Brewers should elect to "piggyback" Woody's starts with another pitcher who can cover multiple innings. Luckily, the team already has the perfect candidate for this role on its roster: Tyler Alexander. Alexander's crafty arsenal from the left side is a perfect complement to Woodruff's right-handed fastball-heavy repertoire. Additionally, Alexander has shown an ability to find success in several different roles, pitching as an opener, a starter, and a long reliever during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays.

While Woody himself will likely want to produce to the consistent 6-7 inning starts that he was executing prior to his injury, the more sustainable solution is to have Woodruff cover 3-4 innings and turn the ball over to a multi-inning reliever to "complete the start." Once Woody has proven that his shoulder is fully recovered and has shown an ability to stop himself from pushing it too far, he should return to the quality-start-savant that he was a couple of years ago. After all, the most important thing for Woody and the Brewers is his long-term health and availability down the stretch.