When longtime Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff announced that he had an anterior shoulder capsule injury in his throwing arm, it felt like the former All-Star pitcher was gearing up to announce his retirement. There was an air of mystery surrounding the situation, and a solemn tone was struck by manager Pat Murphy as Woodruff lost yet another regular season to a recovery process that felt completely out of his own control.
There was no clear indication of whether Woodruff would have a chance to return this season, let alone ever again. Nonetheless, the 33-year-old starting pitcher dedicated himself to his rehab and now, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy, he's back to throwing up to 105 feet. The team told McCalvy they will "re-evaluate [Woodruff] for mound readiness at the end of September."
This is a shocking and unexpected revelation, as Woodruff's 2026 season was believed to be lost entirely to another lengthy rehabilitation process. But this latest report suggests that he may not only get back to full health, but that Brandon Woodruff might be ready to get back on the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers in time for their 2026 playoff run.
It comes at a time when so many of the questions surrounding the Brewers' ability to compete in the postseason circle their uncertain bullpen rotation, but if Woodruff is seriously ready to get back to action in two weeks, Milwaukee might've just been bailed out of a truly daunting situation.
If Brandon Woodruff is truly ready to return for the MLB Playoffs, it couldn't have come at a better time for the Milwaukee Brewers.
In nine outings for the Brewers this season, Woodruff posted a 2.98 ERA, averaging just over five strikeouts per contest, and that was not even at full strength. Over the last six seasons, excluding the 2024 campaign he missed with a shoulder injury, his ERA never went above 3.20 in that stretch, averaging out to a 2.82 ERA in 102 games.
Brewers fans know this story well. Woodruff is an amazing talent who, when healthy, remains as capable as nearly any starting pitcher in the MLB. Although his velocity has ticked down in recent years and lingering shoulder troubles cast a shadow on him, Woodruff shows us what he's capable of every time he's healthy enough to do so.
So while it seemed like his season was over and we wouldn't see him again until next year, he could be Milwaukee's savior in a time when they deeply need him. Something hasn't quite been right with Kyle Harrison; trade deadline acquisition Dustin May hasn't been what we hoped he would be; and Robert Gasser, who is having a strong September thus far, still has a long way to go before proving himself as a reliable postseason starter.
All roads lead back to Woodruff, and if he's as healthy as this report made it seem, the veteran ace might live up to that massive contract when the Brewers need him most... in the postseason.
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