Brandon Woodruff’s Shoulder Setback Forces Brewers to Re-Evaluate Rotation

On Saturday night at Chase Field, Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff left after 3 2/3 innings of a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He struck out Adrian Del Castillo on a 3-2 pitch before trainer Brad Epstein escorted him off. Woodruff’s fastball, which opened at 91.1 mph, dropped to 87.1 mph and then 86.6 mph as he exited. Team physicians identified an inflamed labrum in his right shoulder, the same spot as a prior injury.

ESPN

Woodruff entered the game with a 2.98 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and a 47-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 45.1 innings, according to MLB.com. Sportsnet listed a 2.59 ERA across eight starts, while Heavy.com cited a 2.70 ERA over 33 starts since October 2023. His season fastball average hovered near 92.5 mph before the April 30 injury, when it fell to 85.4 mph. The right-hander missed the entire 2024 season after capsule-repair surgery in October 2023 and logged only 12 starts in 2025.

Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff headed to IL again with inflamed labrum

Brewers manager Pat Murphy confirmed the inflamed labrum made the IL move “not a surprise.” MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reported a 10-day IL placement, while CBSSports noted the club expects Woodruff to miss more than the minimum 15 days. USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale said Woodruff will consult orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister within days to decide on treatment. The organization indicated that rotation depth will be adjusted while Woodruff recovers.

Heavy

• “First inning was fine, then it was kind of a slow progression of discomfort,” — Brandon Woodruff

ESPN

• “It's kind of the life of my shoulder. You hope that it will hold on until the end of the year and then you reassess and make some adjustments. But it's kind of popped up on me here.” — Brandon Woodruff (quoted by Bob Nightengale)

ESPN

• “Woodruff will be examined by doctors, including orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister, in the next few days to determine the next steps,” — Bob Nightengale, USA Today

Sports Illustrated

• “Manager Pat Murphy said after Woodruff departed Saturday's start against the Diamondbacks that the right-hander is dealing with an inflamed labrum, so the move to the IL isn't a surprise.” — Pat Murphy (as reported by CBSSports)

CBS Sports

Sources list three different season ERAs—2.98 (MLB.com), 2.59 (Sportsnet) and 2.70 (Heavy.com)—and disagree on IL length, citing both 10-day and 15-day placements. Velocity drops are reported as 91.1 mph to 87 mph in the latest game, versus an April 30 average of 85.4 mph. Projected return dates range from “early August” (Rotowire) to “around August 25” (Heavy.com). No definitive timetable has been released.

CBS Sports

With Woodruff on the IL, the Brewers plan to start right-hander Logan Henderson on July 9 against the St. Louis Cardinals after his 68-pitch rehab outing. Fellow starter Coleman Crow continues a Triple-A rehab assignment. Milwaukee, holding a six-game NL Central lead, may explore a frontline starter at the August 3 trade deadline to safeguard a postseason run.

Heavy