Latest Brandon Woodruff injury update could signal devastating end to Brewers career

No current member of the Milwaukee Brewers' roster has been with the organization as long as Brandon Woodruff. "Big Woo," as the veteran right-handed starter is endearingly known by the Milwaukee faithful, has been through thick and thin during his 10 years with the Brew Crew.

In his time with the Brewers, which began back in 2017, Woodruff has watched the team go from an overlooked central-division ballclub to a powerhouse in the National League. He's watched the team embrace a selfless, effort-packed identity that not only embraces the team's front office limitations but fits Woodruff's own style of play to a tee. He's been a part of the most successful stretch of Brewers baseball, doing his part to add five NL Central crowns to a once-short list of division titles.

Woodruff has watched the organization trade away All-Stars like Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, and Freddy Peralta, while fan favorites like Lorenzo Cain and Willy Adames have come and gone, and all the while, Big Woo continued to be the steady, wise locker room presence the Brewers need him to be. He endured a change in front office leadership but maintained strong relationships with both David Stearns and Matt Arnold, the latter of which has resulted in two deals since Woody reached free agency. He's seen the reigns be passed from Craig Counsell to Pat Murphy and continued to be a clubhouse leader throughout the transition.

Brandon Woodruff has meant everything to the Brewers and their fans throughout his 10 years in Milwaukee, which has made his recent stretch of injuries that much more difficult to witness. It began with a disheartening report back in October of 2023 on the day before Milwaukee's NL Wild Card match-up with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Woodruff had suffered a shoulder injury and would miss the series, but it wasn't known at the time just how impactful the news would end up being.

The shoulder injury required a surgical repair of Woodruff's anterior capsule, which came with a lengthy rehab process that would keep the Brewers' right-hander out for the entirety of the 2024 season. Minor injuries, like right ankle tendinitis and a comebacker striking his pitching elbow, during his rehab starts in 2025 further delayed his long-awaited return to the Brewers' rotation. However, on July 6 of last year, Big Woo finally returned to a big-league mound after nearly two years away from one, and threw a six-inning gem against the Miami Marlins.

The rest of the 2025 regular season was much of the same for Woodruff, who posted a 3.20 ERA, but another devastating report surfaced just before the postseason once again. On September 21 of last year, the same day that the Brewers clinched their third consecutive division title, Woodruff landed on the IL with a lat strain, which once again caused him to miss the playoffs.

In the offseason, the Brewers offered Woodruff the one-year qualifying offer, and when the veteran right-hander accepted the $22.025 million salary, he became the single-season, highest-paid pitcher in franchise history. The decision from the club looked like an astute one initially, but two stints on the IL later, it's getting harder to justify. However, what is far more devastating than a missed investment from the organization's standpoint is the fact that Woodruff's latest stint on the IL is threatening to end his Brewers career in the most disheartening fashion.

Brandon Woodruff's latest diagnosis leaves 2026 season, and therefore future in Milwaukee in doubt

Woodruff's initial 2026 stint on the IL began back in late April, and was caused by inflammation and the formation of a cyst in his shoulder. Though the cyst had to be drained with a minor procedure from Dr. Keith Meister, who performed Woodruff's anterior capsule reconstruction back in 2023, no structural damage to the shoulder was found at the time. The same, however, cannot be said for Woodruff's most recent placement on the IL.

On Independence Day, nearly one year after Woodruff returned to the mound after his lengthy recovery process, the veteran right-hander once again experienced a concerning dip in velocity and was removed from the contest before receiving imaging after the game. Said imaging revealed a new injury to Woodruff's anterior capsule. The Brewers and Woody are seeking a second opinion from Dr. Meister, but the initial report does not bode well for the veteran right-hander.

Second opinions generally don't mean good news in regard to pitching injuries. More often than not, it means the initial diagnosis was bad, and the pitcher is seeking out any alternative avenues that require less significant recovery timelines. Should Woodruff once again need surgery on his anterior capsule, it's all but certain that his 2026 season will be over, and with his one-year contract expiring at the end of the season, there will be a difficult decision for the Brewers to make in regard to their longest-tenured player.

What makes the situation even more devastating is that, when healthy, Woodruff has been just as effective as ever. While battling through these injuries and decreased velocity, Woody maintained a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts over the last two seasons. He still holds the lowest ERA by a Brewers pitcher in franchise history (minimum 500 innings pitched) at a ridiculous 3.10 mark.

Nothing is set in stone yet, and Woodruff, who has proven to be one of the toughest pitchers in MLB, won't let Brewers fans rule anything out. It's even possible the veteran right-hander sticks with the organization going forward on a much different contract. However, it's important to acknowledge the severity of the situation, and just how devastating this latest injury update could prove to be. Woodruff, the team, and Brewers fans alike are all desperately hoping for a positive outcome from this disheartening development.

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