Brewers add injured pitcher Brandon Woodruff to World Series roster
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The gist
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff was added to the team's World Series roster after last pitching July 4.
The two-time All-Star returns from a shoulder shutdown against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Background
Brandon Woodruff is a 33-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, a two-time All-Star and the franchise's longest-tenured player. He last pitched on July 4, when his surgically repaired shoulder flared up for the second time in the season and he was shut down; he later announced season-ending surgery to repair the capsule in his right shoulder, then cancelled it after an August scan showed surprising improvement and began a throwing program. He accepted a $22.025 million qualifying offer last offseason and had pitched only 131 2/3 innings over the previous three seasons, including a stint on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation from May 1 to June 22. The Brewers reached the World Series by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS (National League Championship Series), which left time for workouts in Milwaukee before opening against the Tampa Bay Rays.
How it unfolded
- Jul 4, 2026Woodruff last pitched in a game; his surgically repaired shoulder flared for the second time this season and he was shut down.
- Jul 2026Two weeks after the shutdown, Woodruff announced he would need season-ending surgery to repair the capsule in his right shoulder, scheduled for August.
- Aug 2026An August scan showed surprising improvement, so Woodruff cancelled surgery and began a throwing progression instead.
- Oct 20, 2026Woodruff faced hitters for the first time since the injury at a Brewers workout at American Family Field, throwing 23 live pitches and sitting 90-92 mph.
- Oct 22, 2026Manager Pat Murphy said no decision had been made but Woodruff "threw the ball well"; Woodruff spoke at World Series media day as team president Matt Arnold met him about the roster scenario.
- Oct 23, 2026With a 26-man roster due at 10 a.m. CT before Game 1 against the Rays, the Brewers officially announced Woodruff's status and added him to the World Series roster.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Woodruff said it would be "hard to keep me off that roster," that he feels he can go out and pitch regardless of how little he has thrown, and that he wants to help bring a championship to Milwaukee.
- Manager
- Murphy called Woodruff's comeback "almost incredible" and said he threw the ball really well, but noted roster rules — including that Woodruff could not be replaced if re-injured — still had to be worked through.
- Caution
- The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the Brewers were unlikely to add Woodruff to the World Series roster.
Still unverified
Whether Woodruff could be replaced on the postseason roster if he suffers a setback was unresolved; the rule requires an "acute, non-chronic injury or ailment," and the Brewers' best understanding as of Thursday afternoon was that such a request likely would be denied. Whether his one live batting practice was enough to earn a roster spot was also uncertain before the decision.