The Milwaukee Brewers are rolling the dice on their longest-tenured ace. On Friday, the Brewers added right-hander Brandon Woodruff to their World Series roster, replacing right-hander Chad Patrick — the only change to the 26-man roster for the best-of-seven series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Brandon Woodruff (Credits: ESPN)
Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, has not pitched in a game since July 4, when he exited an outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks with an inflamed right shoulder. He was originally scheduled for his second shoulder surgery in four years — which would have ended his 2026 season — but the procedure was canceled after imaging showed enough healing, and he began a throwing program in late August.
Brandon Woodruff’s Comeback Trail to the World Series Roster
The comeback has been remarkably fast. Woodruff, 33, threw off a mound during each of Milwaukee’s first two postseason series, then threw about two dozen live pitches to teammates on Tuesday. His fastball reportedly sat at 90-92 mph, up from the 87 mph it had dipped to on July 4.
“It went as good as it could have gone,” Woodruff said Thursday. “I’ve probably made their decision a little bit harder, which is a good problem for them. I’m lucky, I’m blessed. We got a chance to win the World Series and regardless of what happens, I will be just as excited to win if I’m on the roster or not.”
A Big-Game Gamble for the Brewers
The move carries real risk — MLB postseason rules mean the Brewers likely can’t replace Woodruff if he suffers a setback. But the payoff could be huge. The Brewers’ longest-tenured active player is 55-30 with a 3.10 ERA since debuting in 2017, and president of baseball operations Matt Arnold called him “one of the most successful, dominant big-game pitchers I’ve ever been around.” Milwaukee is playing in its first World Series since 1982, and Game 1 is Friday night at American Family Field.
Also Read: Rays Go With Nick Martinez Over Ace Drew Rasmussen for World Series Game 1 vs Brewers | Rays Clinch ALCS With 7-3 Game 6 Win Over Guardians, Set All-Time First World Series vs Brewers
Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
