Milwaukee Brewers fans have been watching Jacob Misiorowski highlights on a loop, but the real story brewing beneath the surface is the return of Brandon Woodruff. The two-time All-Star has been quietly working his way back from a shoulder issue that landed him on the 15-day injured list, and the latest update suggests he’s just about ready to rejoin the big league club.
Woodruff made a rehab start Tuesday night in a High-A game against Quad Cities, a Kansas City Royals affiliate. The outing was deemed “very productive” by manager Pat Murphy, who told reporters, including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, that Woodruff will “rejoin the rotation soon.” When pressed on whether “soon” means his next start will come with Milwaukee, Murphy was blunt: “Yeah, that’s what ‘soon’ means.”
The right-hander threw 80 to 85 pitches across five innings, hitting his target workload. His fastball sat in the 90-92 mph range — not quite the 96-97 he touched in his prime, but enough to get swings and misses against lower-level hitters. The Brewers wanted to see Woodruff stretch out and command his secondary stuff. From the sound of it, he did both.
Woodruff’s numbers this season — a 3.60 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and a 2-1 record in six starts — show he’s been effective when healthy. But the broader picture is what excites Milwaukee’s front office and fans alike. The Brewers already boast one of the deepest rotations in the National League. Adding a veteran who’s posted a 3.10 ERA over the past four seasons doesn’t just deepen the staff; it reshapes the ceiling of what this team can do in October.
According to McCalvy, Woodruff’s next start could come during a series against the Cincinnati Reds, which begins next Monday. The team has not confirmed that timeline, but all signs point to him rejoining the rotation shortly after that rehab outing.
What’s interesting here is how the Brewers have managed Woodruff’s recovery. They’ve been deliberately cautious — no need to rush a pitcher who could be a difference-maker in a playoff push. Milwaukee’s rotation has been productive without him, but Woodruff’s return adds a layer of reliability and postseason experience that numbers alone can’t capture. He’s the kind of arm that can change the math in a short series.
The question now isn’t whether Woodruff will come back — it’s how quickly he’ll lock into his usual form. The shoulder has been a lingering concern, but Tuesday’s outing suggests the mechanical and physical benchmarks are met. If he takes the ball against the Reds next week, expect a pitcher with something to prove.
For a team that’s already exceeding expectations, the return of Brandon Woodruff might be the move that turns a good Brewers season into a dangerous one.
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